The most central of the city's public gardens, Cismigiu is a haven of lawns, trees, flowers and lakes. Often mistakenly referred to as a park, Cismigiu is actually a large garden, first designed and laid out in 1845 by the German landscape architect Carl Meyer, but not completed until 1860. More than 30,000 trees and plants were brought in from the Romanian mountains, while exotic plants were fetched from the botanical gardens in Vienna. Highlights of the 17-hectare garden include the Roman Garden, laid out in the style of ancient Rome, and including busts of Romania's most famous writers, the lake, which can be explored by rowing boat in summer or skated upon during the winter, and Ion Jalea's French Memorial in Carrara marble, which commemorates those French troops killed on Romanian territory during World War I. The park has a couple of cafes, refreshment kiosks and - in summer - terraces, as well as some good, large children's playgrounds. It can get very busy in good weather, but it is a lovely place to spend time.