Pálffy garden

Pálffy garden is one of five Baroque gardens forming the Palace Gardens below Prague Castle, spread across the south-facing slopes beneath Hradčany, tucked directly behind the Lesser Town palaces along Valdštejnská street. Together with the Ledebour, Kolowrat, Small Fürstenberg and Small Pálffy gardens, it makes up one of the most picturesque terraced green complexes in Prague.

How old is the garden?

The site's history goes back to the 17th century, with the first records of a garden here dating from as early as 1681. Its present Baroque form was given by Anna Maria of Fürstenberg, who founded the garden in 1751. The name it carries today, however, only dates from 1881, when Count Eduard Pálffy of Erdőd purchased the neighbouring palace, which has since been known as the Pálffy Palace.

What are the two parts of the garden?

The complex is functionally split into two sections. The Small Pálffy garden originally served a practical purpose and contained a fruit orchard. The Large Pálffy garden, by contrast, has a far more decorative and representative character. It was redesigned in the early 19th century in the Classicist style, which gave it the harmonious appearance it retains today.

What can visitors see in the garden?

A defining feature of the Large Pálffy garden is a fountain topped with a statue of Triton, along with a sundial set into the portal above the staircase connecting the terraces. Like the rest of the complex, the garden is rich in decorative stairways, balustrades, scenic terraces and small garden pavilions — hallmarks of Baroque garden design that make full use of the steep natural slope below the castle.

How was the garden restored?

The gardens below Prague Castle fell into disrepair during the decades of communist rule. Restoration of the Small Pálffy garden, carried out alongside the neighbouring Ledebour Garden, took place between 1989 and 1995. Work then continued on reconstructing the Large Pálffy garden, the Kolowrat garden and the Small Fürstenberg garden, which was completed in 1999. The project was funded by the Prague Heritage Fund, a foundation established under the patronage of Prince Charles (now King Charles III) and then-Czech President Václav Havel.

Where exactly is the garden located?

Pálffy garden sits in the very heart of Prague, on the slope below Prague Castle, directly adjoining the other palace gardens that together form a continuous terraced green belt above the Lesser Town.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pálffy garden a standalone garden or part of a larger complex? It is one of five gardens making up the Palace Gardens below Prague Castle, interconnected to form a single terraced system.

Where does the garden's name come from? From Count Eduard Pálffy of Erdőd, who bought the neighbouring palace in 1881, after which it became known as the Pálffy Palace.

What is the garden's main landmark? The fountain with its statue of Triton and the sundial set into the portal above the staircase in the Large Pálffy garden.

When was the garden restored after years of neglect? The Small Pálffy garden was restored between 1989 and 1995, while reconstruction of the Large Pálffy garden was completed in 1999.