Garbsen is a town located in the district of Hanover within the German state of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the river Leine, approximately 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) northwest of the city of Hanover.
The name Garbsen has been documented as far back as 1223. The modern city was formed during a regional reform in 1974 and currently consists of 13 city districts that developed partly independently prior to unification.