Černínská zahrada

Černínská zahrada (Czernin Garden) is a Baroque garden attached to the Czernin Palace on Prague's Hradčany hill, covering roughly 1.7 hectares. It was established alongside the palace itself, which Count Humprecht Jan Czernín of Chudenice began building in 1669. From 1693, the adjoining garden started taking shape according to designs by architect Francesco Caratti.

Who designed the garden?

The project outlived its founder. Work was continued by the Czernin family's heirs, and the garden only reached its final Baroque form under the count's grandson. Several notable architects of the era contributed to its design besides Caratti, including Domenico Rossi and František Maxmilián Kaňka, who is credited with adding a small summer pavilion (letohrádek) to the grounds.

Why was the garden rebuilt more than once?

The garden's history has been far from smooth. It suffered serious damage during the Prussian sieges of Prague in 1741–1742 and again in 1757. Restoration afterward was carried out by sculptor Jan Antonín Quitainer, painter Josef Bartoloměj Kramer, and gardener Jan Paul, who returned the grounds to their former condition.

A further chapter came with a reconstruction carried out between 1929 and 1934 under architect Pavel Janák, one of the leading Czech architects of his generation. The most recent major renovation took place in the 1990s, and it is largely in that form that the garden survives today.

Is the garden open to visitors?

For most of its history, Černínská zahrada has been closed to the public, since the palace and its grounds are used by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This changed in 2011, when the garden began opening to visitors during the summer season, offering a rare chance to see a Baroque garden that otherwise remains off-limits.

What can visitors see there?

The layout of Černínská zahrada reflects the classic features of a Baroque palace garden: a geometric plan, terraced grounds that make use of the natural slope of Hradčany hill, and architectural elements set into the greenery, including Kaňka's summer pavilion. Its location — at the foot of one of Prague's most prominent hills, right next to the Czernin Palace — makes it a significant, if still relatively little-known, piece of the city's Baroque heritage.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Černínská zahrada located? The garden sits on Hradčany in Prague, directly beside the Czernin Palace.

Who designed the garden? The original design came from Francesco Caratti, with later contributions from Domenico Rossi and František Maxmilián Kaňka.

Can the garden be visited? Yes, since 2011 it has opened to the public during the summer season, even though the grounds are otherwise used by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

How large is the garden? Černínská zahrada covers an area of about 1.7 hectares.