The Beginnings of Botany in Dalmatia

November 29, 2024

The first steps in botanical science in Dalmatia were sparked by the brief French rule, which established the Lyceum in Zadar with the support of the general providur Vincenzo Dandolo, a world-renowned naturalist who, through his dynamism, attracted young scientists and ensured the Lyceum had highly qualified staff. Dr. Ambrogio Cariboni, an experienced scholar from an Italian university, was appointed professor of botany and pharmacy. In 1807, he founded the first botanical garden in the Balkans (on the site of a former monastic garden within the Lyceum). During a journey through Dalmatia as a botanist, Franz von Portenschlag-Ledermayer accompanied Emperor Francis I and Empress Caroline, discovering 200 new plant species. This expedition remains his most significant contribution to botany.

The Beginnings of Botany in Dalmatia. Herbarij studio

Another important figure was Andreas Alschinger, an Austrian botanist whose work Flora Jadrensis (Zadar, 1832) provides a taxonomically organized account of the vascular flora of the Zadar region. In addition to Latin, Greek, and German, the work was also written in the vernacular Croatian language.

By military assignment, General Friedrich von Welden was brought to Zadar, where he collected extensive botanical data and sent it to Dresden and Regensburg, where his herbarium is still preserved today. Beyond his love for flowers, he emphasized the importance of harmony between architecture and landscape. As a landscape architect, he created a botanical garden of Dalmatian flora (today known as Queen Jelena Park). This garden stands as a lasting tribute to the magnificent work that Welden left as a legacy.