V Jirchářích

This summer the centre of Prague has a new place to relax and unwind. In SOUNA(south of Národní Trřída) where there is almost no greenery the garden v Jirchářích is a welcome new comer.

This small garden which backs the Slovak Evangelical church (Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in the Czech Republic ) in a street of the same name is accessed right opposite Velryba and is open throughout the day.

Being behind a church , one might guess that it   was originally a cemetery which was put out of use 1784 by  the hygiene edicts of  Josef II who forbade burials within the city walls. 

The area though is first mentioned as the “garden of melons” as far back as 1318.In more recent times it belonged to the local gardeners association of Prague 1 which used it till 1989.Curiously, before WWII the church was used by a German Lutheran congregation which ceased to exist with the introduction of the Beneš decrees.

The garden today is a nice piece of lawn, a few trees and a long table with chairs to sit around. There is even a sculptural water tap just in case you need to cool down. The garden is open during the day and is a calm oasis to chill out.