Editor’s Note of Empress Garden, Hadapsar

Popularly known as 'Soldiers Garden', the Empress Garden is a botanical garden and zoo located at Pune adjacent to Pune-Solapur Road. Well spread across an area of 59 acres of land, this is an ideal place to view nature's beauty at its best. Initially the property of Sardar Vithalrao Purandhare, this garden came under the possession of the Government in 1838 and later came into the hands of Sir Charles Napier. When Queen Victoria won the title of 'Empress of India', this garden was rechristened after her as the 'Empress Garden'. With the chief product of the garden being mangoes, tamarind and cut flowers, this place is especially famous for its tropical trees. A nice venue to stimulate all of your senses, Empress Garden also serves as a public leisure space which is often visited by families and tourists. This park is open daily.