About this place
Hvězdička – Eugen Horváth Park is a small neighbourhood park in Brno on Hvězdová street, notable as the first public place in the Czech Republic to be named after a person of Romani origin. The park grew up around the DROM Romani community centre and has long served as a green, everyday gathering space for people living in the surrounding streets.
Where does the park's name come from?
The site was originally known simply as Hvězdička ("Little Star"). In 2017 a decision was made to add the name of Eugen Horváth to the park, and the new signage was formally unveiled around the end of March 2018. The gesture was symbolic: it marked the first time in Czech history that a public space was officially named after a person of Romani background.
Who was Eugen Horváth?
Eugen Horváth, also known by the nickname Janko, was born on 26 March 1940 in Nálepkovo, in the Spiš region of Slovakia. He began learning the violin as a child and pursued it more seriously from around the age of fourteen, under his father's guidance — by then the family had already moved to Brno, in 1947. After the founding of the Union of Gypsies-Roma, Horváth formed his own ensemble in 1969, the Cymbal Music of Eugen Horváth, which became one of the most distinctive traditional Romani music groups in Moravia. Naming the park after him was meant to honour both his musical legacy and his role within Brno's Romani community.
What does the park look like?
Hvězdička is a compact green space organised around a small central square. Four permanent paths radiate out from it, dividing the area into four sections: an entrance zone next to a sports ground, a quiet grassy rest area, and a section occupied by the building of a low-threshold centre for children and youth. This layout gives the park a dual role — a place for everyday recreation and, at the same time, a hub for local community work with children and teenagers.
Who is this place for?
This is not a conventional tourist attraction — it is first and foremost a neighbourhood space serving local residents. For visitors exploring Brno, though, it can be a meaningful stop on a route focused on the city's Romani history and culture, especially combined with a visit to the adjacent DROM centre, which runs educational and cultural programmes tied to the local Romani community.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the park called Hvězdička – Eugen Horváth Park? Because in 2017 the name of Eugen Horváth, a respected Romani musician linked to Brno, was added to the original name Hvězdička — the first such commemoration in the Czech Republic.
Who was Eugen Horváth? A violinist and bandleader born in Slovakia in 1940, who moved to Brno with his family in 1947 and founded his own well-known Cymbal Music of Eugen Horváth ensemble in 1969.
What can you find in the park? A small central square, four paths dividing the grounds into zones, a sports ground, a grassy rest area, and a building housing a low-threshold centre for children and youth.
Where exactly is the park located? On Hvězdová street in Brno, next to the DROM Romani community centre.
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