Velka Fürstenberska Zahrada - The Great Fürstenberg Garden
Baroque Jewel to open for people
Today, the first time in the history, Velka Fürstenberska Zahrada (The Great Fürstenberg Garden) will be opened to the general public.
Palace gardens, situated on the slopes under the Prague Castle towards Mala Strana (Lesser Quarter) will grow of more territories. To the complex of Five Castle Gardens (all belong to the state), will accede Velka Fürstenberska Zahrada, which extensive reconstruction finished by the Capital City of Prague. The plan is to connect all the Castle gardens together, so tourists and Prague citizens could go freely from one to another.
To revive and repair the garden took about a year and a half. During that time the sightseeing pavilion was repaired, planned to become a social facility and a restaurant. Gardeners planted a few thousand flowers, trees and over two thousands roses. The entrance to the garden is from its higher part, from the Old Castle stairs.
At the place of the Baroque garden with terraces was originally a vineyard of st. Jiri, founded in 13th century. When vine growing started to decay after Hussite wars, it waited unused until Baroque period, when Fürstenbergs started to develop it. Terraces were built in 18th century by Vaclav Vladimir Netolicky. Fürstenbergs owned the gardens until the WWII, when it was confiscated.
Compared to the ‘more happy sisters’, Velka Fürstenberska Zahrada wasn’t revived after 1989, because its ownership was a matter of law-suit among the sate and the city. Visitors from general public were never allowed there, until now. The city of Prague saw opening of the garden as the major event of this year’s tourist season. The city counsel Klega already stated the garden will be the most beautiful in Prague.