Lumbe's garden

Lumbe's Garden forms part of the wider garden complex attached to Prague Castle, spreading along the Hradčany slope toward Nový Svět and the neighboring Chotek Gardens. Unlike the Royal Garden or the South Gardens, it has spent most of its history closed to visitors - and large parts of it still are.

Where does the name come from?

The garden takes its name from Karel Lumbe, a Prague surgeon who purchased the land in 1852. His family held the property for decades, until 1925, when the Office of the President of the Republic bought it back from his heirs. Since then the grounds have been tied directly to the presidential office.

What is actually there?

A villa built on the former Lumbe estate - known as Lumbe Villa - still stands on the grounds and serves as a private residence of the Czech president, also used for protocol occasions. Because of this, the area immediately around the villa remains off-limits to the public.

The upper section, referred to separately as Horní Lumbeho zahrada (Upper Lumbe Garden), has a different story. During the communist era it was parceled out as allotment gardens for employees of the interior and defense ministries. After decades of closure the area was cleared and today forms an open meadow planted with trees; part of it was reopened to walkers in the early 2010s as part of broader restoration work that also touched the adjoining Chotek Gardens.

The Castle gardens as a whole also function as a working production ground - a base for the Castle's gardeners, who grow ornamental plants used to decorate Prague Castle for state visits and official dinners. The grounds also house the Masaryk Apiary, commissioned by President Tomáš Masaryk and designed by architect Josip Plečnik after Masaryk admired a folk-style beehive on holiday in Slovakia. The apiary is still functional, and its honey is used on protocol occasions to this day.

What has been found here archaeologically?

Lumbe's Garden ranks among the more significant archaeological sites tied to the origins of the Czech state. Excavations uncovered a burial ground of 141 graves, dated from the late 9th century to the first quarter of the 11th century. Researchers interpret it as the burial site of an elite group linked to the princely milieu of the early Czech state; silver jewelry recovered from the graves has since been studied for its composition, manufacturing technique and state of preservation.

Can you actually visit Lumbe's Garden?

Access is uneven. The section around Lumbe Villa, as a presidential residence, stays closed to visitors. The upper part of the garden, however, is opened to the public from time to time - it was reopened after decades of closure in the early 2010s, alongside maintenance work in the neighboring Chotek Gardens. Because the grounds combine a residential and a protocol function, it's worth checking current access information before planning a visit, since parts of it can be closed without much notice.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lumbe's Garden part of Prague Castle? It borders the Castle grounds directly and has functioned historically as part of its garden estate, even though it originated as the private property of the Lumbe family.

Who was Karel Lumbe? A Prague surgeon who bought the land on the Hradčany slope in 1852 - the source of the garden's name.

Can you see the presidential villa from the garden? Lumbe Villa is visible from certain points nearby, but as the president's residence it isn't open for interior visits.

Why does the site matter archaeologically? Because of an early medieval burial ground of 141 graves, believed to hold members of the elite connected to the beginnings of the Czech state.