Park U Popraviště in Tábor

Park U Popraviště is the largest park in Tábor, spreading across the Pražské sídliště housing estate right next to the western wall of the former Prague Barracks. Its name refers directly to the site's history — this was once a place of execution, and today it combines a memorial function with a recreational one, hosting both a monument to the victims of the occupation and a large children's playground.

Why is the park named "U Popraviště"?

The ground the park now covers was used as an execution site during the Second World War. Between 3 June and 3 July 1942, the Nazi occupiers shot 156 people here as part of wartime reprisals. After the war, in 1947–1948, a memorial to the victims was built on the spot, and it is now protected as a listed cultural monument. The name "U Popraviště" ("by the execution site") has stuck ever since, giving the park a markedly different character from ordinary municipal greenery — a walk here doubles as a lesson in Tábor's recent history.

What does the park look like today, and what can visitors do there?

The park went through a multi-stage revitalization during which the city invested 24.2 million Czech crowns over three years. The project renewed both the greenery and the memorial itself, and added new landscape features such as two pergolas and a rope pyramid for children. The work was carried out in stages — EU grants financed, among others, the fifth and sixth stages of the revitalization — gradually turning a former memorial ground into a place of everyday relaxation for residents of the neighboring housing estate.

The biggest draw for families is the large children's playground. It includes vertical roundabouts, a big rope "circus" climbing structure, and a Mobilus swing. It's one of the more popular playgrounds in Tábor, well used by families from the nearby Pražské sídliště estate.

What makes the greenery here stand out?

Park U Popraviště is notable among Tábor's green spaces for trees that can't be found anywhere else in the city. The centerpiece tree at the playground is a sweetgum (ambroň) — a species usually associated with a Mediterranean climate and therefore a rarity in Czech conditions. The park is also home to two tamarisk trees, which cover themselves in delicate pink blossoms in summer and, frosted over in winter, look as if wrapped in a silver fur coat. This unusual planting makes the park worth a visit at any time of year, not just in summer.

Who is this place for?

The park sits next to a hospital and a residential estate, so day to day it mainly serves Tábor locals — parents with children using the playground, and anyone looking for a quiet place to walk or rest in the shade. For a visitor interested in the city's history, the park is also a place to pause at the memorial and learn about a lesser-known, difficult chapter from the occupation years.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the park called U Popraviště? Because this site was used as an execution ground during the Second World War — between 3 June and 3 July 1942, the Nazi occupiers shot 156 people here.

Is there a memorial in the park? Yes, a monument to the victims of the occupation, built in 1947–1948 and listed as a protected cultural monument.

What can you find at the local playground? Vertical roundabouts, a large rope climbing "circus," and a Mobilus swing, plus two pergolas and a rope pyramid for children.

How does this park differ from other green spaces in Tábor? It has trees not found elsewhere in the city — a sweetgum associated with a Mediterranean climate, and two tamarisks that bloom in spring and summer and frost over strikingly in winter.

Where exactly is the park located? On the Pražské sídliště housing estate in Tábor, next to the western wall of the former Prague Barracks, near the hospital.