Historical Walking Tour: Station 3
Adenauer in nature
Gardening, that's a nice profession. The trees and flowers at least thank you for what you do for them.
Proximity to nature was important to Adenauer. In Rhöndorf, he liked to spend time in his garden, and there he famously tended his own rose garden – contrary to legend, however, he was not active as a rose grower himself. In his opinion, gardening was also helpful for politics, because it teaches you the important virtue of patience.
The grounds of the "Villa La Collina" had their own park, where the chancellor could observe a variety of plants, enjoy nature in peace and let his gaze wander over Lake Como and the mountain panorama on the opposite shore.
From Cadenabbia, Adenauer took long walks through the surrounding area, benefiting from his physical fitness into old age. In Rhöndorf, he climbed the 58 steps of his house into Zennigsweg and up again every day. This also benefited him in the hilly terrain of northern Italy. Boat tours on Lake Como were also part of the regular visit program of “the old man".
