After the winter break, the gardens of Prague Castle and the Deer Moat have been open again since Saturday, 1 March. In March, they are open from 10 am to 5 pm, with free admission.
The gardens of Prague Castle reopened to the public yesterday, Saturday. Prague Castle is a symbol of the Czech state, the most important Czech monument, and one of the most significant cultural institutions in the Czech capital. The gardens are a favourite spot for walks among both locals and visitors to the city.
Originally dating back to the Renaissance, the Royal Garden, established in 1534, has become one of the few quiet places in the centre of Prague. It was created on the site of medieval vineyards.
The Southern Gardens were gradually developed on the site of the fortifications beneath Prague Castle. Following their most recent reconstruction in 2012, they were restored to their original 1920s design, when Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik remodelled them for President T. G. Masaryk.
The Deer Moat (Jelení příkop) is now also accessible again via a restored path from Na Opyši Street, which had been closed to the public since 2019. The steps and wooden railings, damaged by uprooted trees, have been repaired. In addition to this access, the gorge below the castle can also be reached from Queen Anna’s Summer Palace (Belvedere), the Powder Bridge, Klárov Street, or U Brusnice Street.
The Deer Moat owes its name to the fact that wild animals were kept there as early as the time of Rudolf II. Until the 18th century, various wild animals could be found in the moat. This tradition was symbolically continued during the First Republic when a bear enclosure was built in its upper part. Between 2001 and 2002, a connecting tunnel designed by J. Pleskot was constructed through the dam separating the upper and lower sections of the Hirschgraben. During the summer months, the area is open to the public free of charge.
After the winter, the toilets in the upper part of the Deer Moat, which had been closed for several years, are also open again.
More information about the gardens of Prague Castle can be found on the castle’s official website at hrad.cz.
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