Ingolstadt is a green city with many parks, green spaces and forests. The most prominent of these is "Glacis", which was an open space in front of the city walls, which now surrounds the historical center of the city.
It works as a "green belt" and a buffer zone between traffic, residential areas and schools. It is possible to cross it using spacious footpaths for pedestrians and cyclists, with a good view of the site of the former fortifications, including a well-preserved
section of the moat.
The largest park in the city, at about 50 acres, is Klenzepark, which contained the former Ingolstadt State Fortress and was the site of Landesgartenschau in 1992, also part of the Glacis. Klenzepark is located north of the Danube, opposite the old town of
Ingolstadt.
The largest forest in Ingolstadt is Auwald ("river forest", also called "Schüttel"). It is located on the northern and southern banks of the Danube and is one of the largest well-preserved river forests in Germany, extending mainly from Neuburg to Ingolstadt,
with extensions to the city center. The forest serves as a nature reserve, with parts containing unique vegetation or acting as a wildlife reserve.
The Danube River runs through Ingolstadt, running from west to east. In the Ingolstadt area, the Danube is between 80 and 100 meters wide and flows near the old town of Ingolstadt.