castle park in Vrchotovy Janovice

The castle park in Vrchotovy Janovice is one of the most admired landscape parks in the Czech Republic, sitting right in the center of the small town of Vrchotovy Janovice in the Benešov district of the Central Bohemian Region. Covering a modest 16.5 hectares, it draws visitors not through sheer size but through the harmony of its layout, the variety of its plantings, and the stories tied to it.

What does the park look like, and how did it get its shape?

The park surrounds the local castle and follows the English landscape style — winding paths, open lawns, and groups of trees arranged to evoke a natural setting rather than the strict geometry of a formal French garden. Its plant collection is notably rich for a park of this size, including species brought in from as far as East Asia.

The park owes its present form mainly to the last owners of the estate, siblings Sidonie (1885–1950) and Karel (1885–1931) Nádherný of Borutín. Between 1922 and 1932 they regularly consulted Camillo Schneider, a respected dendrologist and landscape architect, who visited the estate once or twice a year. That long-running collaboration is what gave the park its carefully considered planting scheme, much of which survives today.

What makes this park stand out among other Czech castle parks?

Despite its relatively small footprint, the castle park in Vrchotovy Janovice is regarded as one of the most beloved parks in Bohemia — valued as much for the atmosphere it carries as for its planting design. The place is closely tied to Sidonie Nádherná, a figure well known in early 20th-century Central European cultural circles, and an educational trail through the park follows her story and her ties to significant artists of that era. Walking its paths today, visitors can still sense that this was never just a private garden, but a meeting point for people from the world of culture.

Who looks after the park today, and can it be visited?

The park and castle form part of a heritage-protected complex that has been managed by the National Museum in Prague since the second half of the 1950s. The museum maintains the historical planting layout and oversees the site's educational role.

Entry to the park is free, and it is open year-round. From April to September it can be visited from 8:00 to 19:00, while from October to March opening hours are 8:00 to 16:30. This means the park stays accessible in every season, though visitors should keep the shorter winter hours in mind when planning a visit.

Frequently asked questions

Is entry to the castle park in Vrchotovy Janovice free? Yes, admission to the park is free year-round.

What are the park's opening hours? From April to September the park is open 8:00–19:00, and from October to March 8:00–16:30.

What makes this park special compared to other castle parks in the Czech Republic? It is a small but exceptionally harmonious English-style landscape park, with plants brought in from places as distant as East Asia, and a history tied to Sidonie Nádherná and her connections within the 20th-century artistic world.

Who designed the park's current appearance? Its planting scheme was shaped between 1922 and 1932 by dendrologist and landscape architect Camillo Schneider, working for the estate's then-owners, the Nádherný siblings of Borutín.

Who manages the park today? The park, together with the castle, belongs to a heritage complex administered by the National Museum in Prague since the second half of the 1950s.