Park Petra Bezruče

Park Petra Bezruče is the largest municipal park in Bohumín, located in the Nový Bohumín district within the Karviná District of the Moravian-Silesian Region in the Czech Republic. Home to roughly 1,500 trees, locals often refer to it as the town's "green lungs." The park sits on land once covered by the swampy Šunychel forest and has served as the main recreational green space for Bohumín residents for well over a century.

Where does the park's name come from?

The park only took on its current name in 1947, in honour of the Silesian poet Petr Bezruč. On 15 September that year, on the poet's eightieth birthday, a bust of Bezruč was unveiled in the park, and the town decided to rename the grounds after him. Before that, the site had simply functioned as Bohumín's municipal garden without a name tied to any particular figure.

How did the park come into being?

The story starts in 1886, when the Silesian count Jindřich Larisch-Mönnich II purchased the Bohumín estate and set up a pheasantry on part of the marshy Šunychel forest. Two decades later, in 1907, the foundation stone for an English-style park was laid on the site, and over the following two years the former pheasantry was transformed into a landscaped park. A wooden garden restaurant and a wooden pavilion were built during this period. In 1921 the town of Bohumín bought the remaining pheasantry land back from the Larisch-Mönnich family, expanding the green area further.

What happened to the park during the wars?

As early as December 1908, a bronze monument to the emperor was unveiled in the park, standing roughly where the Petr Bezruč monument stands today. After Czechoslovakia was founded in 1918, the emperor's monument was removed. During the Second World War the wooden garden restaurant that had served visitors for decades burned down.

Did the park ever have a small zoo?

Yes. After the Second World War, part of the park housed a small zoo with fallow deer, roe deer, goats, peacocks and pheasants. The mini-zoo did not last long, however — it was shut down in 1958, leaving only a set of bird aviaries behind.

What can visitors find in the park today?

The park kept developing through the second half of the twentieth century. A modern open-air summer cinema was built in 1964, a new pavilion followed in 1974, and a star-shaped café was added in 1984. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the grounds gained sports facilities and a recreational area with a playground known as Hobbypark. A natural amphitheatre was added in 2005 and is now used for open-air cultural events and concerts. In recent years the town has also been working on rejuvenating and revitalising the century-old tree stock of the park.

Is there a nature trail in the park?

Yes, a nature trail with 29 stops runs through the grounds, letting visitors learn interesting facts about the trees growing there and their characteristics. It's a good option for tourists, school trips, and families with children interested in nature.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Park Petra Bezruče located? In the Nový Bohumín district of the town of Bohumín, in the Karviná District of the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic.

Where does the park's name come from? From the Silesian poet Petr Bezruč — the park was renamed in his honour in 1947, when his bust was unveiled on his eightieth birthday.

How big is the park? It is Bohumín's largest municipal park, with around 1,500 trees growing on its grounds.

What can be seen in the park besides greenery? A 2005 amphitheatre, a café, sports facilities, the Hobbypark playground area, and a nature trail with 29 stops dedicated to trees.

Is there still a zoo in the park? No, the small post-war mini-zoo was closed back in 1958, and only bird aviaries remain from it today.