Velká strahovská zahrada

Velká strahovská zahrada (the Large Strahov Garden) is an eleven-hectare monastery garden spread across a steep hillside in Prague's Hradčany district, between Úvoz and Strahovská streets. It is bordered below by Vlašská Street and above by the old defensive wall known as the Hladová zeď (Hunger Wall). The difference in elevation between the garden's lowest and highest points reaches nearly a hundred metres, and its steep paths open up some of the finest views over Prague.

Where did the garden at Strahov Monastery come from?

The garden's history reaches back to the early Middle Ages. The land on which Prince Vladislav II — later King Vladislav I — founded the Premonstratensian monastery at Strahov in 1140 was spacious enough from the start to support not only monastic buildings but also vineyards and orchards. In the monastery's earliest years, several separate gardens took shape here: the abbot's garden, the convent garden, a vegetable garden, and a herb garden tended by the monastery's infirmarian for treating the monks. This early economic development was interrupted by the Hussite Wars in 1420, which caused serious damage. Recovery came only under Abbot Jan Lohelius (1586–1612), whose tenure saw the reconstruction of a Romanesque aqueduct that supplied water to the vineyards and gardens.

What grows in the garden today, and what can visitors see?

Today the Large Strahov Garden retains the character of a fruit orchard, complemented by forested oak-and-hornbeam sections on the steeper, upper parts of the slope. Vineyards, once far more extensive here, now survive only in small patches. A pulpit stands at the boundary between the parkland and the forest, and hidden deeper in the woods is the so-called Peklo (Hell) hermitage — a grotto resembling a natural sandstone cave and one of the garden's more curious features. Between 1991 and 1995, a viewing terrace with recreated vineyard terraces was built on the slope, offering a panorama of the city. Near the entrance from Úvoz stands a small pavilion housing a reproduction of the famous Strahov Madonna painting, and a statue of the Virgin Mary was erected in the garden in 1994. Another point of interest is a former fruit-drying facility built between 1671 and 1679, later converted into the gardener's residence.

Is the garden open to the public?

Of the several monastery gardens at Strahov — the abbot's, the convent's, and the large garden — only the Large Strahov Garden is open to visitors. The others remain closed or continue to serve the monastery's own purposes. The Velká strahovská zahrada is freely and permanently accessible year-round, making it a popular spot for walks among both Prague residents and visitors looking for a quiet escape from the crowded streets of Hradčany and Malá Strana.

Why does this place matter for Prague?

Since 1989, the garden — together with the entire Strahov Monastery complex — has been protected as a national cultural monument of the Czech Republic. It combines natural value, in its preserved old trees, orchard, and patches of forest, with historical significance as part of one of Prague's oldest and most important monasteries. Thanks to its position on the slope between Hradčany and Petřín, it also forms a natural green corridor right in the heart of the city.

Frequently asked questions

How large is Velká strahovská zahrada? The garden covers 11 hectares, with an elevation difference of nearly 100 metres between its lowest and highest points.

Is admission to the garden free? Yes, the Large Strahov Garden is freely and permanently accessible year-round at no charge.

What is the Peklo hermitage? It is a grotto hidden in the forested part of the garden, resembling a natural sandstone cave — one of the site's more curious attractions.

Are all of Strahov Monastery's gardens open to visitors? No — of the several monastery gardens, only the Large Strahov Garden is open to the public; the others, such as the abbot's and convent gardens, are closed to visitors.

Since when has the garden been protected as a monument? Since 1989, together with the entire Strahov Monastery complex, as a national cultural monument of the Czech Republic.