Průhonice Castle park

Průhonice Castle park stretches along the Botič stream a short distance southeast of Prague, and ranks among the most significant landscape parks in Central Europe. Rather than a formal garden laid out in straight lines, it is a sweeping English-style landscape park where trees, water and architecture were composed to look like nature itself.

How did the park take its current shape?

The site's history goes back to the Middle Ages: the earliest written records of Průhonice's owners date from the 1270s, when a fortified Gothic manor stood on the rocky spur above the stream. Its present form, however, dates mainly from the late 19th century. After Count Arnošt Emanuel Silva-Tarouca married Marie Antonie in 1885, he began rebuilding the estate on a grand scale. The castle was reconstructed in Neo-Renaissance style between 1889 and 1893, while the park itself kept growing for the rest of his life, as he brought in trees and shrubs from across Europe. In 1927, facing financial difficulties, the Silva-Tarouca family sold both castle and park to the Czechoslovak state.

What sets this park apart?

Silva-Tarouca was not just a landowner but a dedicated dendrologist — he founded a dendrological society and treated the park as a living collection of woody plants from around the world, arranged to mimic natural landscapes rather than geometric order. That approach turned Průhonice into one of the largest landscape parks in Europe. Its best-known feature is the rhododendron collection: around 8,000 specimens across a hundred species and cultivars, which turn entire sections of the park into dense, colorful thickets when they bloom. The park and castle hold the status of a National Cultural Monument, and since 2010 have been listed among UNESCO's heritage sites.

What should visitors look out for on a walk?

There is no single main avenue here — the park's appeal lies in the variety of its scenery. The Botič stream forms cascades and ponds along the way, and paths lead through open meadows, dense groves and viewpoints facing the castle. The castle itself, visible from many spots in the park, has kept the Neo-Renaissance appearance it received in the 19th century and serves as a natural landmark for orientation. Timing a visit for the rhododendron bloom is worthwhile — the park looks markedly different then compared with autumn or winter.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Průhonice Castle park located? In the village of Průhonice, southeast of Prague, along the Botič stream.

Who created the park in its present form? Count Arnošt Emanuel Silva-Tarouca, who after 1885 transformed the estate into a large landscape park and dendrological collection.

What is the park's main attraction? Its rhododendron collection — about 8,000 shrubs in a hundred varieties — along with the landscape design itself, one of the largest of its kind in Europe.

Does the park have heritage protection? Yes, it is a National Cultural Monument and has been on the UNESCO list since 2010.

When did the park become state property? In 1927, when the Silva-Tarouca family sold the castle and park to the Czechoslovak state.