Lobezský park

Lobezský park is a riverside green space in the Doubravka district of Plzeň, laid out on the site of a former sandstone quarry along the banks of the Úslava River. It combines a wooded, walk-friendly park with a lakeside recreation zone — complete with a swimming pond, playground and outdoor gym — making it a good example of an old industrial site reborn as a place to unwind.

Where did the park come from?

The slopes above this stretch of the Úslava were quarried for arkose sandstone for centuries, with the most intensive extraction happening in the 18th and especially the 19th century. Once quarrying stopped, the abandoned pits were left unattended and gradually became overgrown and neglected. It wasn't until the early 1930s that the city began reclaiming the land and turning it into a park. The project also had a social purpose: Czechoslovakia was struggling under the global economic crisis at the time, and public works like this created jobs that helped cushion the impact on residents. The park opened in 1935, during the era of the First Czechoslovak Republic.

How has the park changed since then?

After World War II, Lobezský park fell into disrepair — paths became overgrown and the site went largely unmaintained for decades. Things started to turn around in the 1990s, when the wooded part of the park underwent restoration. The real turning point came later: in 2015, revitalization began on the meadow next to the Úslava, adding biotope swimming ponds, wood-chip paths, a children's playground and a shelter with a refreshment stand. In 2018, the park underwent a full renovation designed by Tomáš Rákos, which repaired the pathways, tidied up the greenery with a light touch, and added new park furniture.

What can you actually do there?

The park supports outdoor activity year-round. Visitors run and cycle along the riverside paths, use the outdoor gym and street-workout stations, play ball games on open grass, and walk through the wooded former quarry pits. One of the main draws is the swimming pond with its own dock — a chlorine-free biotope pool maintained through natural methods, popular in summer with families and anyone looking to cool off without leaving the city. A large playground sits next to the pond, and mobile toilets and a refreshment stand are available in season.

Is Lobezský park worth a visit for climbers?

Yes — the old quarry walls carved out by centuries of sandstone extraction are now used as a small climbing sector, catalogued by the Czech Mountaineering Association. It's an unusual combination for a single spot: swim in a natural pond, then try a few routes on rock faces with an industrial past.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Lobezský park located? In the Doubravka district of Plzeň, on the banks of the Úslava River, on the site of a former arkose sandstone quarry.

When was the park established? It opened in 1935, as part of a land reclamation project following the end of quarrying, partly carried out as public works during the economic crisis of the era.

Can you swim in the park? Yes, there's a biotope swimming pond with a dock, created as part of the site's revitalization that began in 2015.

What else does the park offer besides the swimming pond? A children's playground, an outdoor gym, street-workout stations, paths for running and cycling, and a small rock-climbing sector.

Has the park been renovated recently? Yes, in 2018 it underwent a complete renovation designed by Tomáš Rákos, including path repairs and additions of greenery and park furniture.