Prague 5: Gardens, Architecture and Art

Gardens and historic sites

Prague 5 offers a variety of cultural attractions, from gardens and historic architecture to galleries, contemporary art and cinema. The Zahrada Kinských covers 22 hectares. This makes the garden one of the destination’s notable green spaces and gives it a distinct place alongside the historic buildings and exhibition venues.

On 27 March 1826, Count Rudolf Kinský bought land from entrepreneur Antonín Novotný on the southern slope of Petřín, where the former Brabcovny, Štikovny, Peldřimovky and Plaské vineyards stood. His aim was to build a villa there and lay out a spacious English-style park. The names of the former vineyards and the date of purchase give this historic event a specific time and place.

Manor house, garden spaces and exhibitions

Bertramka is a former manor house in the Neoclassical style, surrounded by a beautiful park. The garden includes a Sala terrena with original paintings from 1700 and 1780. The room serves as a concert hall. This brings together the design of a historic estate, its preserved paintings and a cultural use.

Letohrádek Portheimka was built in 1728 by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer as a summer residence for his family. Today, temporary exhibitions are held in the gallery spaces on the ground and first floors. Unlike a permanent exhibition, the subjects shown here change; if you want to visit a particular exhibition, check the current programme in advance.

Letohrádek Kinských houses, among other things, an ethnographic exhibition by the National Museum. This venue can be distinguished thematically from the gallery spaces at Portheimka: the ethnographic exhibition is the focus here, while the exhibitions in the rooms on two floors at Portheimka change.

Contemporary art and cinema

MeetFactory is an independent, international, multifunctional centre for contemporary art. Its two galleries provide space for critical engagement with the local and international art scene. Alongside the historic sites, contemporary art is therefore another highlight of Prague 5’s cultural offerings.

MeetFactory’s Zeď also serves as a free open-air cinema from June to September. At Letní kino Kinská, by contrast, the screen is set up on the rear façade of Letohrádek Kinských. The two venues therefore have different settings. If you are planning a cinema visit, it is worth checking the latest dates, especially for MeetFactory’s seasonal screenings.

Sculpture and guided tours

Malostranský hřbitov became a veritable gallery of the cemetery sculpture of its time. This character makes the sculptures themselves an important cultural feature of the site. A guided tour takes place there every month. If you would like to include a tour in your travel plans, check the date for your visit.

Discover more destinations: Stodůlky, Prague 8, Prague-Troja, Prague 7, Hloubětín, Prague 4, Dejvice, Újezd Nad Lesy

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