Showing 1-6 of 6 results
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Charles University Botanical Garden
Just south of Karlovo náměstí (entrances on Viničná and Vyšehradská) is Charles University's botanical garden. Founded in 1775 and moved from Smíchov to its present site in 1898, it's the country's oldest botanical garden. The steep, hillside garden concentrates on Central European flora and is especially pretty in spring.
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Letná Gardens & Terrace
There are great views from this vast park, but the socialist overtones of its huge concrete terrace are almost as interesting. In the 1950s the world's largest statue of Stalin was built here, only to be blown up in 1962. Today, the space is occupied by skateboarders, a beer garden and artist Vratislav Karel Novák's huge metronome, symbolising the passage of time.
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Royal Garden
The Powder Bridge (Prašný most; 1540) spans the Stag Moat (Jelení příkop) en route to the spacious, Renaissance-style Royal Garden. This started life in 1534 and its most beautiful building is the Ball-Game House (Míčovna; 1569), a masterpiece of Renaissance sgraffito where the Habsburgs once played an early form of badminton. To the east is the Summer Palace (Letohrádek; 1538-60) and to the west the former Riding School (jízdárna; 1695).
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Stromovka
Stromovka, west of Výstaviště, is Prague's largest park. In the Middle Ages it was a royal hunting preserve, which is why it's sometimes called the Královská obora (Royal Deer Park). Rudolf II had rare trees planted here and several lakes created (fed from the Vltava River via a still-functioning canal). It's now the preserve of strollers, joggers, cyclists and inline skaters.
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Vrtbov Garden
This 'secret garden', hidden along an alley at the corner of Tržiště and Karmelitská, was built in 1720 for the earl of Vrtba, the senior chancellor of Prague Castle. It's a formal baroque garden, climbing steeply up the hillside to a terrace graced with baroque statues of Greek mythological figures by Matthias Braun - see if you can spot Vulcan, Diana and Mars. Below the terrace (on the right, looking down) is a tiny studio once used by Czech painter Mikuláš Aleš, and above is a little lookout with good views of Prague Castle and Malá Strana.
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Wallenstein Garden
One of Prague's tucked-away treasures , this world of formal lawns, fountains, ponds and statues makes a perfect pit-stop en route to or from Prague castle. There are entrances via the Wallenstein Palace and from Letenská, but for that true through-the-looking-glass experience take the gate beside Malostranská metro station. Turn left from the escalators and then right on the steps.
Showing 1-6 of 6 results
