Fürstenberská zahrada

Fürstenberg Garden is part of the chain of palace gardens climbing the steep slope below Prague Castle in the Malá Strana district. The name actually covers two adjoining gardens, the Great and the Small Fürstenberg Garden, which together with several neighboring terraced gardens form one of the most distinctive vantage points over Prague's historic center.

Where does the name come from?

The land now occupied by the garden was covered by vineyards in the medieval period, later replaced by utilitarian orchards and kitchen gardens. The site takes its present name from its last aristocratic owners, the House of Fürstenberg, who acquired it in 1866. While the family did not create the original layout, it is their name that has stuck to the place ever since.

How did the garden evolve over the centuries?

The site's gardening history goes back to the 16th century, when a Renaissance ornamental garden was first laid out here. The shape closer to what visitors see today began to take form in the second half of the 17th century, with the grounds stabilized in 1674 and gradually reworked into a more representative composition. In the 18th century, landscape architect Václav Kazimír Netolický designed the terraced layout that became the backbone of the Great Fürstenberg Garden. The Small Fürstenberg Garden, meanwhile, underwent a Rococo reconstruction carried out from 1768 by architect Ignác Jan Nepomuk Palliardi, reaching its final late-Rococo, Italian-style form between 1784 and 1788.

What can visitors see in the Great Fürstenberg Garden?

On the site of former vineyards and fruit orchards, ten terraces now rise one above another, connected by staircases and winding paths. They are planted with flowers, fruit trees, rose bushes and grapevines, a nod to the land's original viticultural past. Walking through the garden means climbing gradually through this terraced structure, with new views over the rooftops of Malá Strana and the towers of Prague's churches opening up every few dozen meters. The garden underwent a four-year restoration and reopened to the public in August 2008, after a period when access had been limited.

What sets the Small Fürstenberg Garden apart?

The Small Fürstenberg Garden has a markedly different character from its larger neighbor. It is a more intimate, geometric composition in the spirit of Italian Rococo, with a regular network of paths and carefully arranged planting. Its present form, achieved in the late 18th century, makes it one of the most stylistically coherent sections within the whole chain of gardens beneath Prague Castle.

Who is this garden for?

The Fürstenberg Gardens appeal above all to visitors looking for a quieter alternative to the crowded routes around Prague Castle, while still wanting to see the city from an unusual, elevated vantage point. The terraced layout and rich planting make it a particularly rewarding destination in spring and summer, when the roses and fruit trees are in bloom.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the garden's name come from? From the House of Fürstenberg, owners of the land since 1866.

When was the garden established? The first garden on the site dates back to the 16th century, while the Great Garden's current terraced form results from work carried out from 1674 onward and further developed in the 18th century.

How does the Great Garden differ from the Small Garden? The Great Garden is an extensive, ten-terrace layout built on former vineyards, while the Small Garden is a compact, Italian-style Rococo garden shaped between 1784 and 1788.

When did the garden reopen to visitors? After a four-year restoration, the Great Fürstenberg Garden was reopened to the public in August 2008.