It lies within the Harz National Park near Wernigerode in the state of Saxony-Anhalt and has a stock of around 1,600 types of plant.
But it was not until 1890 that the Brocken Garden was established by Albert Peter with the permission of Prince Otto of Stolberg-Wernigerode on the royal estate.
The purpose of the experimental garden was to research the adaptability of alpine plants to the conditions of a new habitat.
Due to its northerly and exposed location the summit of the Brocken (1,141 m) equated climatically to heights of about 1,700 to 1,900 m in the Swiss Alps.
When the Brocken was declared an out-of-bounds area the botanical garten was closed to the public in 1961 and lost its importance.