Nature is the best artist, but sometimes man interferes with her plan, and thanks to this union, the most amazing places appear. We offer you a selection of the most unusual parks in the world.
1. Park of 200 Buddhas, Laos
The Park of 200 Buddhas was created relatively recently by one of the religious leaders of Laos, Bounlya Sulitat. The work took a long time, and Sulitat himself was never able to finish it because he went crazy. Nevertheless, the park is amazing: more than 200 sculptures of Buddhas, snakes, gods and heroes of Hindu and Buddhist mythology are collected in a relatively small area. Thanks to the carefully thought-out layout, visitors can come close to each stone statue, study all the features of the carving, or, if they want, look at the stone faces from afar. What is surprising is that each hero carved in stone has his own facial expression. Absolutely all the statues are worked out to the smallest detail: the scales on the snake bodies, the folds on the heroes' clothes, the attributes, the faces... The height of some statues reaches 20 m, and some are no higher than a five-year-old child.
The park is located just five kilometers from the town of Nong Khai, and if desired, it is easy to get there by bike or even on foot. In addition to the statues, it has picturesque ponds, well-kept flower beds, and a glass sphere open to visitors, where the embalmed body of the park's creator, Boonlewa Sulitat, rests.
2. Green Lake, Austria
This park, located in the Austrian town of Tragoess, is amazing primarily because in winter it is an ordinary park with flowerbeds, alleys, and groves laid out here. People come here to sit on comfortable benches, have a picnic, and admire the stunning view of the mountains and the lake, the water in which has an unusual green hue. But in summer the lake overflows, and the water level in it rises from two meters to ten. Then the park is flooded and completely hidden under water.
And then divers come here from all over the world. Perhaps this is the only place in the world where you can see the familiar world underwater. All the plants, park paths and benches remain in their place, and you swim past them with scuba gear. Small fish swim among the land vegetation in the crystal-clear water. And so it goes on until winter comes again.
3. Sinners Park, Thailand
The park is not recommended for people with unstable mental health. The fact is that the Sinners' Park on the territory of a Buddhist temple 40 km from Bangkok is filled with sculptures of people pierced with spears, hanged, eaten by mythical animals and died in other, no less terrible ways - a kind of visual demonstration of what "hell on earth" might look like. In addition, from the speakers installed throughout the park, muffled psychedelic music and a creepy voice narrating various horrors, tortures and the like can be heard every now and then - fortunately, in Thai.
By the way, Thais often come here with their children - apparently for educational purposes. But we would not advise bringing a child to such a place. And adults should visit such a park only if they have either an iron psyche or a specific sense of humor.
4. Cosmic Speculation Park, Scotland
According to the idea of the park's creators, spouses Charles Jencks and Maggie Cheswick, this place should give visitors an idea of the Universe and the place of man in it, as well as the fact that all modern science is nothing more than a step in the process of learning something completely extraordinary. There are no familiar flower beds or convenient paths in the park. But there are completely futuristic objects such as unusually shaped artificial hills, bridges, stairs. Everything is so harmonious that aluminum sculptures of the most bizarre shapes fit perfectly into the surrounding landscape.
A visitor can even find themselves in a "black hole" or a Klein bottle, ponder complex mathematical formulas or wander inside fractals. From a bird's eye view, all the artificial objects in the park form a complete picture. This is one of those amazing man-made places on planet Earth that is definitely worth visiting.
5. Creation Museum, USA
This park was created primarily to show people that God's creation of the Earth (as described in the Bible) does not in any way contradict the theory of evolution. Visitors are offered giant moving figures of dinosaurs, next to a "reconstruction" of the huge Noah's Ark. Behind glass cases, bones of prehistoric animals and biblical artifacts lie nearby. The park's employees claim that the existence of dinosaurs does not contradict the Bible - God could have created them just like all other animals, but for some reason they did not survive the Great Flood.
Regardless of your religious beliefs, the park is definitely worth a visit. The fact is that most of the dinosaur bones and reconstructed skeletons are genuine archaeological finds. And the idea of combining biblical history with science is quite interesting in itself.
6. Keukenhof Flower Park, Netherlands
Keukenhof is famous all over the world primarily due to the huge tulip fields growing on its territory. More than 100 varieties of these flowers grow on 32 hectares. Of course, in addition to tulips, other flowers grow in the park: lilacs, orchids, roses, lilies. In the spring, more than 800 thousand tourists come to the park - the fact is that due to the "fastidiousness" of tulips, the park is open only from March to May.
Every year at the end of April, the park hosts the Flower Parade: huge platforms made entirely of plants move through the streets of the city of Lissa.
7. Francisco Alvarado Park, Costa Rica
This park is a real miracle of landscape design. Walking along its paths, you will see elephants, monkeys and other animals made of living cypress. But the main thing in the park is the mystical labyrinth of living plants: countless green arches hang over visitors, intricately intertwined paths stretch underfoot, and along the way you will encounter many surprises - what is worth only the giant figure of a sleeping woman, whose body and face are carved from moss-covered stones.
8. Jurong Bird Park, Singapore
Jaurong is home to birds from all over the world. The majority of the park's feathered inhabitants are, of course, birds from Southeast Asia, but there are also many species from Europe, America and Africa. The park's main feature is that visitors have the illusion that the birds are living in the wild - there are no aviaries or cages in the park. Each group of birds has been given conditions that imitate their natural habitat: for example, an air conditioning system has been made for the penguins, and a large artificial pond for the flamingos.
Most of all, visitors love to look at the aviary with parrots - 110 varieties of these bright, intelligent birds live here. No less interesting is the pavilion with an artificial waterfall, where 1,500 species of birds from different parts of the world live. You can watch their life in real time, how the birds feed, sleep, and raise their offspring. But you can't feed them - the park employees warn that this can negatively affect the health of the birds.
9. Kingdom of the Dwarfs, China
To tell the truth, it is not really a park. Rather, the Kingdom of Dwarves can be called a village where only dwarves live. The park has its own school, hospital, and shops. But from time to time, the village doors open for visitors, and the dwarves dress up in fairy-tale costumes and conduct tours of their houses for those who wish. The houses, by the way, are very interesting, made in the form of mushrooms or trees. The entire staff of the park consists exclusively of its residents.
From the point of view of public morality, the park raises some doubts among both Europeans and Chinese. But, one way or another, the place is popular, and the Chinese authorities are in no hurry to lose a good source of income.
10. Chess Park, Japan
In the Japanese city of Osaka, on the bank of one of the canals, there is a park dedicated to board games. Paths, tables, children's slides and all other objects are made in a chess theme. Of course, in the park you can find chessboards, and tables for playing backgammon, and boards for playing go or checkers. The park is not very popular with tourists, but it is very much loved by locals, who often come here with their children.
The park is also amazing because the creators did not have much money, so all the objects are made of cheap and environmentally friendly materials like pressed wood and cardboard. If you find yourself in Japan, go there, you will not regret it, because the Chess Park is an excellent example of how you can make an interesting and useful place for recreation right within the city.
11. Zhangjiajie: Fantastic Landscapes from Avatar
Zhangjiajie Park, which covers an area of 13 thousand square meters, is famous for its 800-meter-high limestone and quartz columns — this is where the movie "Avatar" was filmed. The picturesque columns are covered with dense vegetation, and many of the trees are over a hundred years old. This fabulous kingdom of Pandora is home to over 500 species of various animals and very rare plants, such as the pigeon tree. It is also called the handkerchief tree, since the flowers of this plant resemble pigeon wings and handkerchiefs at the same time in shape and size. You can also see ginkgo here — a bisexual tree with fan-shaped leaves, a relative of dinosaurs. Its leaves and seeds have healing powers and are able to stop the aging of the body.
This park is incredibly beautiful. Be sure to take a ride on the cable car, go up in an elevator built right into the rock, and walk along a path with a glass floor through which you can see a huge abyss. When you visit the Huanglong Cave with an underground lake and cross it by boat, climb the 999 steps to Tianmen Mountain and see clouds floating at your feet, you will feel like a conqueror of the world…
12. Versailles Park: Harmony of Perfection
When Louis XIII commissioned landscape architect André Le Nôtre to transform the hunting grounds, he had no idea that the Versailles Park, brought to perfection, would become a work of art. It is one of the most famous landmarks in France. Picturesque flower beds, graceful alleys lined with statues and benches, 1,400 fountains, 350 thousand trees, grottoes and cascades, mirror pools reflecting the sky and the luxurious palace - you can't walk around the gardens and parks in a day, so be prepared to devote several days to this trip. Versailles is one of the most unusual parks in the world, because everything here is subject to strict mathematical logic. In the park, every flower and blade of grass has precise coordinates, and even the orchids displayed in colorful tubs obey geometric laws.
Visit Marie Antoinette's farm, admire the "Little Venice" canal, stroll along the Alley of the Children and sit on the shore of the Swiss Lake. Everything here is beautiful and perfect, and when the sun illuminates the main alley, it seems that it rushes into eternity. Just as Louis XIII wanted...
13. Ashikaga Flower Paradise
The Japanese know a thing or two about beauty, otherwise how could the most beautiful park in the world have appeared on the island of Honshu? Eternal summer reigns here. At the end of winter, tulips, plums and daffodils bloom, in the spring thousands of fireworks of rhododendrons and azaleas flare up, in the summer irises, hydrangeas and roses delight the eye, and in the fall saffron smells sweet. In the fragrant Japanese paradise there are many wisterias - white, pink, yellow, purple, violet and blue. They are collected in clusters and resemble butterflies, while some flowers are over a hundred years old! Wisterias twine around gazebos and form a long 80-meter tunnel, which locals call the tunnel of love and happiness.
In late autumn, the garden falls asleep for a short time, only to soon wake up and fill the world with beauty again...
14. Firefly Garden, Malaysia
In Malaysia, near Kuala Selangor, there is a firefly garden, which is visited at night. It is difficult to say whether this park is the most beautiful in the world, but its unusualness is beyond doubt. Imagine - trees and bushes blink and sparkle like Christmas trees entwined with garlands. The best way to watch this magic is to float along the river in a boat - under the stars, in complete silence, interrupted only by the cries of birds. It feels like you are in a fairy tale, and only in the thicket of mangroves tiny sparks of light flash synchronously. A colony of millions of fireflies attracts with its enchanting flickering everyone who came to the park in search of a miracle ...
15. The Kingdom of Lakes and Waterfalls
The list of the most beautiful gardens and parks in the world would be incomplete without the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia, which the Croats themselves call the eighth wonder of the world. 16 picturesque reservoirs are located in a mountain basin surrounded by moss-covered slopes, spruce and beech forests. The lakes, located in a cascade and connected by 140 waterfalls, delight the eye with magical emerald and turquoise shades. There are many streams, rapids and mysterious caves. One of them will surprise you very much. The Šupljara cave, located under the waterfall, is called a hole, since it has no bottom or ceiling. By the way, the largest waterfall, located at a height of 72 meters, can be admired from a cliff along which walking paths are laid. Due to the huge number of waterfalls, a fog of tiny droplets of water forms over the lakes - an impressive sight. It is no coincidence that wedding ceremonies and weddings are held under the waterfalls. This park is a real water kingdom, because water is everywhere here. It rumbles, gurgles, bubbles, splashes and drips!
The reserve in Croatia is a real land of virgin nature, untouched by civilization. Rare plants and animals have been preserved here, and 50 species of local orchids are recognized as the most beautiful in Europe. Plitvice Lakes are rich in fish, local trout even fearlessly swim up to people, treating themselves to bread crumbs. In winter, the park turns into a real snowy fairy tale, reminiscent of the kingdom of the Snow Queen!
16. High Line: a park hovering above the ground
One of the most unusual parks is located in Manhattan, at a height of 10 meters from the ground. Once upon a time, there was a railroad on the site of The High Line, then a picturesque park was created here, which became a favorite walking place for guests and residents of the city. The green alley with flower beds, trees, bushes, benches and tables for rest stretches for 2.3 km. From here, stunning views of the Hudson River and the Chelsea area open up. Thus, from the ruins a masterpiece of modern urban architecture arose, and what is most interesting is that many cities and countries adopted such an original idea and created parks in a similar style.
The High Line is a popular art space in the city, where bohemians gather to hold exhibitions and installations. In the area of 10th Avenue, part of the park has been transformed into a glass space with benches in the form of an amphitheater - a good place to drink coffee, watch the traffic on the street, and chat with friends.
17. New York's Central Park
A beautiful park located on Manhattan Island, one of the most magnificent parks in the United States and the most famous recreation area in the world. In the middle of the 19th century, New York began to grow rapidly. Among the noisy streets and industrial enterprises, the park was created for the purpose of recreation for citizens and guests of the city. The relatively small park is visited by about 25 million people per year. The park looks natural, but all the natural landscapes of the national park are created by human hands. The park has playgrounds, stone hills and beautiful lakes. You can have a great time with your family in the corners of the park. For young people, there are summer venues where theatrical performances and musical concerts are held. Green spaces are truly the lungs of a huge metropolis. An interesting fact is that the territory of the park corresponds to a separate police station in New York. According to statistics, the National Park is the safest place in the North American city.
18. Gorky Park, Moscow
A magnificent park in the heart of the Russian capital opened its doors to visitors in 1928. A monumental arch of columns in the antique style greets Muscovites and guests of the city. On the roof of the main entrance there is an observation deck with magnificent views of the city and the Moscow River. Wide alleys and small squares attract vacationers with their cleanliness and comfort. In the center of the park there is a beautiful fountain and an amazing mosaic flower bed. Playgrounds and numerous attractions are equipped for children. Gorky Park has also become a magnificent sports center of Moscow. The basketball court, chess club, and beach sports center are never empty. For cycling enthusiasts, the park offers bike rental. The Pushkinskaya Embankment offers a view of the river. Visitors are offered excursions on pleasure boats. In winter, the park has a skating rink with equipment and gear rental. A favorite place for Muscovites and tourists, the park has become the center for major city and all-Russian holidays.
19. Park Guell, Barcelona
A unique park in its structure is located in the beautiful Catalan city of Barcelona. The uniqueness of the park, built at the beginning of the 20th century, lies in the harmonious combination of gardens and residential buildings. Already at the entrance to the park, visitors are greeted by unusual and magnificent houses in architectural form, more like sculptures than living quarters. The administration building is crowned with a five-rayed cross. The central alley of Park Güell with multiple fountains leads to an amazingly beautiful hypostyle hall. This hall, called the "Hall of a Hundred Columns", consists of 86 Doric columns. Musicians use the excellent acoustics of the column hall to hold concerts. An original sculptural structure and decoration of the park is considered to be a mosaic salamander. Stone walking paths diverge in all directions from the central alley. Small and original houses built into the rocks are more reminiscent of bird rock colonies. The combination of architecture and natural plantings in the Spanish park creates a unique atmosphere of beauty and peace.
20. Suan Nong Nooch Garden Park, Thailand
The most popular place in Thailand visited by tourists. And indeed, there is much to see in the park, opened in 1980. A large number of rare and original tropical flowers and plants are planted on the territory of 250 hectares. The pride of the Suan Nong Nooch Park is the largest orchid plantation in the country. In addition, the park recreates natural landscapes of different parts of the world, recreates the sights of Thailand. The owner of the park has also originally designed an exhibition of his collection of rare cars within the park. The uniqueness and inimitability of this beautiful place is given by the almost one-to-one recreation of the historical monument Stonehenge. Tourists are also attracted by numerous national shows held among the tropical beauties of the Thai park.
21. Butchart Gardens, Canada
The flower garden complex was created by the spouses Robert and Jennie Butchart on the site of a depleted quarry. It all started with Jennie's passion for flower growing. In 1908, a designer from Japan was invited, who created a uniquely beautiful Japanese garden. The most beautiful varieties of roses were planted next to it. Now the gardens and flower beds, integrated into the natural landscape of the western coast of Canada, are visited by about a million tourists a year. In the silence of the park, you can stroll along the paths among the ponds and waterfalls, walk along the wooden bridges thrown over numerous streams and small canals, breathe in the enchanting aroma of fragrant flower beds and flower gardens.
22. Fairchild Garden, USA
Situated in the state of Florida, this unique park includes a museum, a research center, and a center for the conservation of rare species of plants and trees. In 2012, the Orchid Center was also located here. Collections of rare tropical plants, including palm trees, flowering trees, and various types of grapes, are planted on 34 hectares of the park. Pleasing to the eye of visitors, the park today also serves as a research center for the conservation of rare species of world flora. Trees and plants are selected based on the regions where they grow and the need to preserve endangered species. Surprisingly, the park's employees and volunteers manage to remove insects. Their absence in the park makes being among its picturesque landscapes more enjoyable.
23. Iguazu Park, Argentina-Brazil
Two South American countries equally divided this paradise corner of our planet between themselves. In order to preserve the uniqueness of this natural corner, in 1934 it was decided to establish a park here. The most beautiful place on earth includes about 270 waterfalls on the Iguazu River. It took a man very little to cultivate the wonderful edge of the park. Wooden bridges were thrown between the numerous islands for a better view of these beauties. The park also has the beautiful waterfall "Devil's Throat". The park on the border is included in the list of the seven most beautiful and incredible places on the planet.
24. Lower Park Peterhof, Russia
The palace and park ensemble, stretching along the Gulf of Finland, is the most beautiful place not only in Russia, but also in the world. The stunning alleys of fountains and canals among the luxurious greenery of the park and the baroque palaces are truly masterpieces of architectural art. Hundreds of thousands of tourists come to see the uniquely beautiful Samson Fountain or walk along the marble Voronikhin Colonnade. The beauty of the park is complemented by numerous sculptures and magnificent palaces. The Lower Park is part of the huge complex of the Peterhof Museum-Reserve, and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
25. Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
The park covers more than 100 hectares and consists of three embankment gardens: Wau South Garden, East Wau Garden and Wau Central Garden. Here you will see the so-called supertrees - vertical gardens in the form of huge trees up to 50 m high. There is also a giant flower dome, consisting of seven different gardens, in which a special microclimate is maintained. The cloud forest deserves special attention - with a 42-meter cloud mountain. Here the climate and coolness of the highlands are maintained.
26. Garden of Miracles, Dubai, UAE
Dubai Miracle Garden is the world's largest flower park, striking the imagination with the fact that such magnificence can exist in the middle of the desert. On the territory of almost 7 hectares there are more than 45 million flowers, which, thanks to the best designers from all over the world, form various compositions. And the 3-meter flower wall, 800 m long, got into the Guinness Book of Records.
Modern technologies were not used here: it took engineers a lot of effort to build an underground irrigation system. There is also a butterfly garden here that deserves special attention.
27. Cranbourne Botanic Gardens, Australia
This amazing park was created on the site of a former sand quarry. The extraction of minerals had a deplorable effect on the local ecology, so the park created here is an example of design and landscape thought, when a new object grew on the site of lifeless lands, including both art and ecology. Today, this is the largest garden on Earth dedicated to Australian flora. More than 1,700 species of plants grow here.
28. Yosemite Park, USA
Covering an area of 3,081 km2, the park is notable not only for its local flora but also for its fauna. There are steep cliffs, fast rivers, dozens of waterfalls, and picturesque ponds. The park has a whole grove of sequoias.
29. Corcovado, Costa Rica
The park is located on the Pacific coast and is notable for its untouched nature. This is a truly pristine corner of nature. More than 500 species of trees grow here, including the cotton tree, which reaches 70 m in height. Scarlet macaws, jaguars, monkeys, ocelots, armadillos, sloths and many others live here. And according to legend, the famous navigator Francis Drake hid part of his treasures in the Salsipuedes cave located here.
How many of the best parks in the world are there? Each of them is beautiful and unique in its own way. Nature is considered the best creator, but in combination with brilliant human ideas, even more grandiose masterpieces can be created, causing delight and admiration even in those who are difficult to surprise with anything...
