Franciscan Gardens — Attraction in Prague

The Franciscan Garden and the Church of Our Lady of Snows can be visited together if you like. Although most people from the area will go mostly to the garden for a takeaway lunch or ice-cream during a work break.

The Prague Franciscan Garden

WHAT’S THE HISTORY? You have to go back to 1347, the year of the coronation of the famous King Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor. The day after the coronation he ordered that this land be given to the Karmelites for the purposes of building him a coronation church. As it was outside of the fortified Old Town most of the original church was detroyed during the Hussite wars of the early 15th Century. In 1604 the Franciscans took over the area, repaired the church and added the monastery.

THE FRANCISCAN GARDEN Although redesigned several times in it’s life and largely destroyed during the Hussite Wars of the early 15th Century. by the mid 18th Century the Franciscan Garden was now in it’s present French Baroque form with ornate hedging, sculptures and a chapel in the centre (now a craft shop in a herb garden), but it was still privately owned. It’s not until 1950 with the communist takeover and forced arrest of the monks that the Franciscan garden was opened to the public. It was replanted with fruit trees, rose gardens and renovated in the early 1990s but was never returned to the Catholic Church and today remains the property of the city Prague 1 district.

WHERE IS THE FRANCISCAN GARDEN? Unbelievably it’s less than 100 metres from Wenceslas Square. The map below shows how it can be accessed in 6 different ways:

1. From Wenceslas Square via Palac U Styblu
2) From Vodickova via the Palac Svetozor
3) From Vodickova via the Mysak Gallery
4) From Palackeho via the Poliklinika
5) From Jungmannova via Teta Passage
6) From Jungmannova Square via the corner next...

The Františkánská zahrada (Franciscan Garden) is a peaceful oasis in the heart of Prague, hidden between Wenceslas Square and Jungmann Square. Originally part of a medieval Franciscan monastery, the garden has been a public retreat since the 1950s. It features beautifully maintained flower beds, benches, and a charming fountain, offering a quiet escape from the city's hustle. Surrounded by historic buildings, the garden is perfect for relaxation, reading, or enjoying nature. Despite its central location, it remains a hidden gem, providing a tranquil atmosphere for both locals and visitors seeking a moment of serenity in Prague’s...

A hidden and peaceful green oasis. Sheltered from the busy streets. For many of us (locals) it has always been an.escpe. Spending some time especially in the summer is glorious. The trees, roses, hedges and herbs are well taken care of. Dotted with benches and 1 child has a nice playground for fun.. if you know Prague well, then you know all the short cuts through passages, hidden gardens and through some buildings. The garden is open from early morning till late evening (winters earlier...