The most pompous entrance to the gardens is from the Bull Steps, built by Josip Plečník to connect the gardens directly to the third courtyard of the castle. You reach the Paradise Garden laid out in the 16th century by the archduke Ferdinand. It is dominated by a great Greek-style granite basin, also designed by Josip Plečník. The little Mathias pavilion marks the entrance to the Garden on the ramparts, which goes down towards the Hartig Garden and its Baroque Music Pavilion.
Below these lie the exceptional Baroque terrace gardens, laid out behind the aristocratic palaces of the Valdštejnská street in the 18th century, on the site of former vineyards and Renaissance gardens. They offer spectacular views of the surrounding area (paying entrance).
To the East, the Fürstenberg Garden presents with two picturesque gazebos at the top and the bottom of the leveled terraces.
On the other side, the Ledeburg garden is the most impressive: it is also dominated by an octagonal gazebo on the upper terrace, connected via a magnificent balustrade stairway to its lower level. The latter is brightened up by a beautiful Sala Terrena adorned with frescos and a Hercules fountain.
You can take a pleasant stroll between the two, going from a terrace to another through:
- the small Palffy garden, with terraces mainly used to cultivate utilitarian plants, fruit-trees, herbs and spices,
- the large Palffy garden, next door, is laid out for decorative purposes,
- the Kolowrat garden is also reserved for fruit-trees.
You can exit from the bottom and thus enter directly to the Wallenstein garden, another gem in the Malá Strana District, worth seeing for lovers of parks and gardens.
South gardens below the castle:
Pražský hrad – Site of the Prague Castle
Prague 1
www.hrad.cz
How to get there:
Tramway 22, stop "Pražský hrad"
Opening hours:
In April and October: every day from 10am to 6pm.
In May and September: every day from 10am to 7pm.
In June and July: every day from 10am to 9pm.
In August: every day from 10am to 8pm.
Note that the South gardens are closed during the winter, from November to March.
