Charles University Botanical Garden / Botanická zahrada Univerzity Karlovy (Prague)
N 50° 04.247 E 014° 25.168
33U E 458456 N 5546661
Charles University Botanical Garden is the oldest botanic garden in the Czech Republic. The garden was originally in the Smíchov district, but was moved to the current site in 1898 as it was frequently flooded when the river Vltava overflowed.
Waymark Code: WM6B9F
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 05/07/2009
Views: 198
Close to the Charles Square (Karlovo Namestí) in Prague's New Town is the oldest botanical garden in the Czech Republic, the Botanical Garden of Charles University (In Czech: Botanická zahrada Univerzity Karlovy). The present University garden was first erected in the Smíchov district in 1775 and was moved to its present site in the New Town in 1897. One year later it was opened for the needs of Charles University and since then it has been utilized for education and research by the Faculty of Science and for information and recreation by the public.
The collection of Central European flora, which was established in 1904 and has been continuously supplemented, makes up the most valuable outdoor exposition. A number of timber species are also unique, the most valuable of which is Ginko biloba cv. Praga; the garden has the only specimen of this species in the world. An important exhibition of tropical plants can be found in the garden greenhouses, dating from 1938, including the oldest Cycas in the Czech Republic and, in particular, the exposition and collection of cactuses and succulents, for which the local garden is famous. One star attraction of the gardens is the giant water lily, Victoria cruziana, whose huge leaves can support a small child. During summer it produces dozens of flowers, which only survive for a day.