The Open Gardens Weekend is a unique opportunity to see the Royal Garden of Prague Castle, including the New Orangery and Lány Chateau Park.

The Royal Garden, weekend 7 and 8 June 2025, 10 am - 7 pm
The New Orangery, weekend 7 and 8 June 2025, 10 am - 6 pm
Lány Chateau Park, only Sunday 8 June 2025, 9:30 am - 7 pm

The Royal Garden was established in 1534 at the initiative of Emperor Ferdinand I as a space of beauty, leisure, and utility. Over the centuries, heads of state have continued to shape it according to their own vision.
Built on the site of former vineyards, the garden is said to be the first place in Europe to cultivate tulips. It also grew exotic fruits like citrus and pineapples. It hosted ball games, festivities, and moments of quiet reflection – and at times it even housed military troops. Through the ages, the garden underwent many transformations, from Renaissance geometry to Baroque parterres and later Romantic landscape designs. Today, it features the Singing Fountain, the Royal Summer Palace, the Fig House, Eva Jiřičná’s New Orangery, and a number of remarkable trees. Long closed to the public, it reopened only after 1990. For most of the 20th century, the garden was inaccessible to the public because it was located in the heavily guarded grounds of Prague Castle, which served as the residence of the president. Come stroll through maple-lined paths, rest beneath ancient beeches, and explore quiet corners overlooking Prague Castle.

The New Orangery  – On the path running along the southern edge of the Royal Garden stands an exceptional modern orangery designed by Eva Jiřičná – an internationally acclaimed British-Czech architec celebrated for her refined use of glass and steel. Built between 1995 and 1999 at the initiative of Olga Havlová, the structure replaced a deteriorating greenhouse from the 1950s. Its elegant semi-cylindrical design adjoins the original Renaissance orangery wall and is notable for its sophisticated design of stainless steel and tempered glass. Divided into three climate zones, the orangery is used for cultivating citrus trees and exotic and indoor plants, some of which are used to decorate the interiors of Prague Castle. From May to September, many of these plants are displayed outdoors on the adjacent terraces. The interior also features fountains designed by Jože Plečnik and Otto Rothmayer. This is not only a working greenhouse; it is also a striking example of contemporary architecture that harmoniously engages with the site’s historic context.

Lány Chateau Park is laid out along three main visual axes, with the southern one forming the principal promenade, accented by a pseudo-Baroque parterre aligned with the château’s façade. The central section features lawns with individual and clustered trees, gradually giving way to woodland. After 1921, the park was significantly shaped by architect Jože Plečnik, who designed, among other elements, the monumental Lion Fountain, a beehive pavilion, and a stone wall with scenic openings. The park is open daily (except Fridays), including the palm greenhouse.
The park will be open only on Sunday 8 June 2025.