Great gardens: Prague’s Baroque oases are among the world’s best

Europe’s best gardens were recently ranked by a UK paving and patio company. While it’s no surprise that a fifth of the lush locations that made the list was English, the Czech Republic also appeared multiple times on the list of the world’s 50 most beautiful gardens.

Paving Superstore used reviews and ratings for each garden to compile its European gardens index. Keeping good company among some of the world’s most stunning green spaces, including Kew Gardens in London and Paris’s Luxembourg Gardens, were two entries from the Czech capital’s Malá Strana district.

The top 10 spots were dominated by European gardens with first place going to Luxembourg Gardens in Paris and Real Alcázar de Sevilla, Seville, Spain, the English Garden, in Munich, Germany, Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra, Portugal, and Musee Rodin in Paris rounding out the top 5, respectively.

France and Italy featured on the list nine times each.

The entries for the Czech Republic, both among the city's most impressive Baroque gardens, placed 42nd (Wallenstein Palace Gardens) and 50th (Vrtba Garden) on the list.

Baroque Wallenstein Palace Gardens (Valdštejnská zahrada) was created with the construction of the Wallenstein Palace from 1623 to 1629. Its large sala pavilion, unprecedented at the time of its construction, and artificial grotto with stalactites make it among the city’s most-visited attractions.

With an area of ​​more than 14,000 square meters, the Wallenstein Garden is also the second-largest garden in the center of Prague; only the gardens of Prague Castle are larger. The garden is adjacent to the seat of the Czech Senate.

Prague’s high-Baroque Vrtba garden, located on the slope of Petřín Hill, and dating to the 18th century, was designed by František Maxmilián Kaňka for Jan Josef, Count of Vrtba. It is considered “the most charming garden of its type north of the Alps.”

Both gardens frequently host exhibits and performances for the public.

See the full list of gardens here.