Botanic Garden of the Science Faculty, Charles University

The Botanic Garden of the Faculty of Science, Charles University is the oldest continuously operating botanical garden in the Czech Republic, tucked away next to the Albertov campus in Prague. Founded in 1775, it has spent more than two centuries serving a double purpose: a working laboratory for biology students and a quiet green retreat for locals and visitors looking to step away from the busier corners of the city center.

Why did the garden move to Na Slupi?

The garden's original site didn't survive the test of time. A catastrophic flood in 1890 destroyed the grounds it had occupied, forcing the university to relocate the entire collection. The move to Na Slupi was completed in 1898 and involved not just outdoor plantings but also prized greenhouse specimens — including centuries-old camellias and cycads that survived the transfer and still grow on the grounds today. The new site gave the university and neighboring institutions room to build greenhouses that were considered modern for their era.

What's inside the 3.5-hectare grounds?

The garden is split between an outdoor section and a greenhouse complex. Inside the glasshouses, visitors find a permanent exhibition of tropical and dry subtropical plants, headlined by an extensive cactus and succulent collection. It's also here, in collaboration with Charles University botanists, that the garden built one of the world's largest collections of wood sorrels (genus Oxalis) — plants known for their distinctive, often folding leaves and small flowers in a wide range of shades.

The outdoor grounds function like a teaching park: paths wind between beds organized by plant groups, effectively turning the garden into an open-air extension of the Faculty of Science's lecture halls.

Who is this garden for?

Despite its academic roots, the garden was built from the start to strengthen ties between the university and the people of Prague. Students from the nearby Albertov campus treat it as a break spot between classes, while residents of the neighboring Nové Město and Vyšehrad districts stop by for a walk, away from the crowds typical of the city's more touristy sights. It's a place to slow down while looking at plants tended across generations of Czech botanists.

Frequently asked questions

How old is the Botanic Garden of the Faculty of Science? The garden was founded in 1775, making it the oldest continuously operating botanical garden in the Czech Republic — it marked its 250th anniversary in 2025.

Why did the garden change location? A flood in 1890 destroyed the original grounds, forcing the university to move the collection to its current site on Na Slupi, with the relocation completed by 1898.

What is the garden's biggest highlight? Its greenhouse cactus and succulent collection, along with one of the world's largest collections of Oxalis (wood sorrel) plants, developed together with university botanists.

How large is the garden? The garden covers roughly 3.5 hectares, split between outdoor grounds and a greenhouse complex.