The Botanical Garden of the University of Valencia will host, from June 26 until September 7, 2025, the Marimurtra Centenary Exhibition, organized by the Carl Faust Foundation to commemorate the one hundred years since the creation of the Garden.
The exhibition
The exhibition presents various displays that trace the chronology of the main events that have made Marimurtra’s existence possible. It also includes the biography of its creator, Carl Faust, information about the Foundation that bears his name, and the Garden’s own publishing house. In addition, it highlights the institutional recognitions that Marimurtra has received, such as the declaration of Asset of National Cultural Interest (1995) and the Creu de Sant Jordi (2009). The exhibition has the collaboration of the Girona Provincial Council.
An important part of the exhibition offers content of a more educational and scientific nature. It explains what a botanical garden is and highlights the great scientists and gardeners who have worked there over the years. It also describes the Garden’s commitment to improving biodiversity and creating a healthier, more sustainable, and balanced environment. Among the key actions, it is worth mentioning the non-use of synthetic chemicals in treatments, a choice that has enabled a great wealth and interaction among the living beings that make up Marimurtra’s ecosystem.
The Marimurtra Centenary Exhibition can be visited at the reception area of the Botanical Garden of Valencia throughout the mentioned period.
At the inaugural event, the head of the Garden’s scientific dissemination department, Anna Sans, gave a brief speech in which she presented the contents of the exhibition and shared other highlights of the Centenary.
The centenary
The Centenary of Marimurtra, which is being celebrated between 2024 and 2025, commemorates the creation of a unique scientific facility in our country, which is an inseparable part of the cultural, geographic, iconographic, and emotional landscape of the Costa Brava.
One hundred years ago, Carl Faust created a botanical garden on the first cliffs of the Costa Brava with the intention of offering it to science and scientists. He conceived a space to study plants and life, a “Epicurean Republic of Biologists,” in his own words. Today, the Carl Faust Foundation continues to manage the Marimurtra Botanical Garden, maintaining its plant collection and making it available for research, conservation, and scientific dissemination. All this while facing the new challenges arising from biodiversity management and climate change. In short, fulfilling the dream to which Carl Faust dedicated his wealth and his life.
For the Carl Faust Foundation, participating in events like this is especially relevant, as it fulfills some of the foundational objectives expressed in its statutes: promoting the study of Mediterranean biology and scientific dissemination, as well as encouraging cooperation and international relations. This type of action helps project Marimurtra beyond its immediate environment, weaving ties with other institutions and sharing knowledge on a global scale.
