Františkánská zahrada

The Franciscan Garden is a small green pocket tucked into the heart of Prague's New Town, just steps from the bustle of Wenceslas Square yet almost invisible from the street. Visitors reach it through narrow passages and arcades cut into the surrounding buildings, and that hidden approach is part of the appeal: the city noise fades away, and suddenly you're standing among rose bushes and benches, with the Gothic tower of a nearby church rising above the trees.

Where exactly is the garden?

The park sits on the block bordered by Jungmannovo Square, Wenceslas Square, and Vodičkova and Palackého streets. It borders the Church of Our Lady of the Snows, separated from it by only a narrow strip of buildings — that church was once the centerpiece of the whole monastic complex of which today's garden is the surviving green core.

How did it come to exist?

The site's story goes back to 1348, when Prague's New Town was being laid out on the orders of Charles IV, King of Bohemia. As part of that large-scale urban project, a monastery with its own cloister garden was founded here too, originally known as the Garden of the Carmelites of Our Lady of the Snows, after the Carmelite order that first tended it.

Where does the name "Franciscan" come from?

The name it still carries today only appeared in 1604. That year, the adjoining monastery — originally a Carmelite house — passed into the hands of the Order of Discalced Franciscans, and the garden began to be known by their name instead. The label has stuck ever since, even though more than six and a half centuries have passed and both the monastery and its surroundings have changed hands and purpose many times over.

What does the garden look like today?

Its present-day form dates back to a thorough restoration in the early 1990s, when the previously neglected grounds were reopened to residents and visitors as a public city park. Today you can rest in the shade of mature trees, take a seat on one of the many benches, or wander paths lined with rose bushes — it's those roses, blooming from spring through autumn, that give the garden its distinctive character and make the short detour from the main tourist routes worthwhile.

How do you get there?

This is one of the few Prague parks with no grand entrance gate — you reach it only through passages and arcades built into the surrounding blocks. The easiest route is from Wenceslas Square, walking through one of the shopping arcades in the buildings that line it, or from Vodičkova street via the passages inside the nearby shopping galleries. It's also reachable from Palackého street, or directly from Jungmannovo Square right next to the church. That maze of entrances is exactly why locals sometimes call it a hidden oasis: many people walking past on the surrounding streets have no idea a sizeable patch of greenery is sitting just behind the building walls.

Why is it worth a visit?

The Franciscan Garden shows how a medieval monastic foundation can survive centuries and change purpose several times over without losing its original, contemplative feel. Close enough to Wenceslas Square to reach in minutes, yet far enough from its crowds to feel calm, it's a natural spot for a short break while exploring the New Town.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Franciscan Garden located? In Prague's New Town district, on the block bordered by Jungmannovo Square, Wenceslas Square, and Vodičkova and Palackého streets, right next to the Church of Our Lady of the Snows.

When was the garden founded? Its history dates back to 1348, when Prague's New Town was established under King Charles IV.

Why is it called "Franciscan"? Because in 1604 the adjoining monastery passed to the Order of Discalced Franciscans, whose name the garden has carried ever since.

Is entry to the garden free? Yes, it is a public city park, open to everyone at no charge.

What's the easiest way to get there? On foot, less than 100 meters from Wenceslas Square, through one of the several passages leading in from the surrounding streets.