park Ivana Jilemnického

Ivan Jilemnický Park is a small neighborhood park in Prague's Strašnice district (Prague 10), tucked between the streets Černokostelecká, Na Palouku, and Na Výsluní. It's not a sight most visitors to central Prague will stumble upon, but if you're staying near Vršovice or Strašnice and want a quiet patch of green for a walk or some downtime with kids, it's worth knowing about.

Where exactly is the park located?

The park covers roughly 1.2 hectares on the site of a former vineyard, at the eastern edge of Strašnice. A flight of steps runs along its eastern side, connecting Strašnice with the villa quarter of neighboring Malešice — a handy shortcut for anyone walking between the two districts, which sit at noticeably different elevations.

Where does the park's name come from?

The park has only carried its current name since 2014. It's named after Ivan Jilemnický, a local sculptor who also served as director of a nearby crematorium. Some accounts describe him as a courageous figure, though this part of his biography isn't widely documented. The park itself is much older — it was laid out sometime between 1924 and 1938, and its basic shape and layout haven't changed since. What you see today is essentially the pre-war design.

What's worth seeing inside the park?

The park's most distinctive feature is the shape of its planted areas: the lawns and greenery are arranged so that, seen from above, they trace the outline of a human eye, framed by a network of paths. It's an unusual example of a park laid out around a deliberate symbolic shape rather than a purely functional path system.

Two sculptures by Jilemnický himself stand in the park — "Waterfall" and "Storm." They're modest in scale, but they create an unusual link between the park's namesake and the artwork inside it; it's not every day that a park's patron is also the artist behind the pieces on display.

Is the park a good stop with kids?

Yes — there's a playground designed with older children in mind, featuring climbing walls set into a soft rubber surface, built into the sloped terrain among the greenery. It's a different setup from a typical toddler playground, so it's worth checking out if you're traveling with a teenager rather than a small child. There's also a public drinking fountain, useful in summer.

Does the park have any historical significance?

The park includes a memorial site dedicated to victims of the Czech National Uprising and to victims of the Second World War. It's a modest, local commemorative feature without any tourist infrastructure around it — easy to walk past without realizing its significance.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get to Ivan Jilemnický Park? The park sits in Strašnice (Prague 10), between the streets Černokostelecká, Na Palouku, and Na Výsluní. The easiest approach is by tram or metro to a station in the Strašnice area, followed by a short walk.

Are there restrooms or food options in the park? It's a small neighborhood park, so there's no food service or public restrooms on site — just a drinking fountain.

How long does a visit take? This is a spot for a short walk rather than a full outing — 20 to 30 minutes is enough to see the sculptures, the memorial site, and the overall layout.

Is the park suitable for older visitors or strollers? The terrain is gently sloped with steps on the eastern side, but the main paths around the eye-shaped green area are mostly flat and stroller-friendly.