Jardin des plantes

The Jardin des Plantes (French pronunciation: [ʒaʁdɛ̃ de plɑ̃t], lit. 'Garden of the Plants'), known as the Jardin des Plantes de Paris (French: [- də paʁi]) when distinguished from those in other cities, and formerly as the Jardin du Roi, is the main botanical garden in France. Jardin des Plantes is the official name, shortened from Jardin Royal des Plantes Médicinales, as the original purpose of the garden in the 17th century was to grow medicinal plants. Headquarters of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (National Museum of Natural History, part of Sorbonne University), the Jardin des Plantes covers 28 hectares of the 5th arrondissement of Paris, on the left bank of the river Seine. The entire garden and its contained buildings, archives, libraries, greenhouses, ménagerie (a zoo), works of art, and specimens' collection are a national historical landmark (monument historique).