Asia in the Heart of Leverkusen
Chempark boasts one of Leverkusen's most beautiful places – the Japanese Garden. Not only a popular meeting place for many Bayer employees during their lunch break, the extensive garden's captivating oriental charm also makes it a popular attraction for families and people simply out for a stroll.
In Leverkusen, there is no need to embark on a lengthy journey to get a taste of Japan. Just head to the spectacular Japanese Garden for 15,000 square meters of rare plants from many different parts of East Asia in full bloom along with enchanting sculptures, ornate lanterns and arched gates. The Japanese Garden dates back to 1912. It was created on the initiative of the then General Director of Farbenfabrik Friedrich Bayer & Co. – Carl Duisberg – under professional guidance and has been open to the public since the 1950s. Today, many CHEMPARK employees regularly spend their lunch break there. The garden is also a firm weekend favorite with families and people simply out for a stroll. Newlyweds often use it as a backdrop for their wedding photos, too.
The most delightful thing about the Japanese Garden is the play of colors virtually throughout the year. This is ensured by the exceptionally wide variety of both indigenous and exotic plant species. In addition to grasses, papyrus plants, golden-leaved Japanese maples and chrysanthemums to name but a few, visitors to the Japanese Garden can also admire redwood trees. There are also little ponds that are home to Japanese koi carp and turtles.
Further highlights include the Mikado Bridge, modeled on a bridge in the temple city of Nikko, and one of the garden's top attractions – the teahouse with its statues of Buddha, geishas and water-spouting dragons. Voted one of Germany's top ten parks in 2006, the Japanese Garden is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. from May to September; entry is free of charge.
