The Garden of the Four Seasons - a Korean Garden in Frankfurt

The Garden of the Four Seasons - a Korean Garden in Frankfurt

Frankfurt is the venue for the world's largest book fair. Every year, a guest country presents its literature and culture in a special way at the Fair. In 2005, this was South Korea. To mark the occasion, South Korea donated the park to the City of Frankfurt and had the 4800 square metre garden built by Korean experts on the eastern edge of the Grüneburgpark in the style of Korean scholars' gardens.  Typical of traditional Korean gardens is that shrubs and trees are left in their natural growth form, rather than being pruned into shape. The choice of plants is very much influenced by their symbolism - especially important: pine, plum and bamboo. Four areas symbolise the seasons.

Spring garden: It stands for "waiting" and sets the scene for nature's re-blooming after winter.

Summer garden: It is used for relaxation in the hot season. By the pond and in the shade of the trees, the scholar should be able to relax in the heat.

Autumn garden: It serves the meditative contemplation of nature.

Winter Garden: In the plum arbour, one of the two wooden buildings, one can sit together in winter.

The Plum Arbour and Morning Dew Pavilion were destroyed as part of a series of arsons in 2017, which began here on 1 May 2017. The reconstruction fell victim to the Corona pandemic in particular. After a five-year closure, the garden itself has been at least temporarily accessible again since the summer of 2022, and the pavilions are to be rebuilt from 2023.