Do you want to get away from the bustle of the metropolis? A walk in the Botanical Garden at Albertov is a solution. You almost do not sense the din of the city, although you are right in the centre of Prague. You can meditate surrounded by trees and plants, which are tastefully labelled for those who are curious. After an hour of the repose therapy, you will have energy in the upcoming days.
The garden in the hands of biologists and students
The history of the university garden goes back to 1775, when it was established in Praha – Smíchov. It was moved to Albertov in 1898 because of numerous floods, and since the end of the World War II, it has been under the auspices of the Charles University. In the garden, scientists take care of thousands of domestic and exotic plants which serve as demonstration materials to students of biology and associated disciplines – the Botanical Garden but also plays an active role in education of the general public and it is a place of recreation for the locals.
Permanent exhibitions and many interesting events
The Botanical Garden presents both indoor and outdoor exposition in the area of 3.5ha. In the glasshouses, you will find a permanent collection of tropical and subtropical plants, including cactuses and succulents. Regular exhibitions of orchids, carnivorous plants or exotic birds also take place there. Full-grown sago palms and other aged trees come from the historic Smíchov collection!
The showpiece of the Botanical Garden exterior is the full-grown ginkgo tree, which is about 130 years old, and the collection of the Central European flora from 1904, continuously maintained till these days.
A peaceful place in the centre of Prague
A beautiful thing about the Botanical Garden is that while you walk there, you will not meet many people. You can feast your eyes on various kinds of plants and enjoy the silence and solitude. If you are more interested in the exhibits, you can arrange a guided tour which takes about an hour. Once a week, the local experts also provide free gardening advice to help people with their plant growing problems.
How and when to get there?
You will appreciate the beautiful park the most in spring and at the beginning of summer, when the plants are blooming. Admission to the garden is free, but there is a symbolic admission fee for the glasshouses (an extra fee is charged for exhibitions). The garden is suitable for a walk with children; however, there is no possibility of refreshment.
Trams no. 14, 18 and 24 go straight in front of the Botanical Garden entrance (the Botanická zahrada stop). If you go by metro, get off at Karlovo náměstí Square (the yellow B line) and go up Vyšehradská Street towards the Botanical Garden (about 600 m).
