Grebovka Park is a large park (nearly 11 acres) which was established in 1871- 1888 as a part of the Grobov Villa. This beautiful house was built for local businessman Moritz Grobe.
When you see the pretty town houses build on top of the park, you can start to appreciate the sort of clientele that would walk through the park hundred years ago.
Where to find Grebovka Park
This park is set on the hill in Prague 2 – Vinohrady – in between Vrsovice and Nusle.
Why visit Grebovka Park
- Taste the local wine grown on the side of the Grebovka Park, sitting at a historic wooden pavilion with a great views
- Explore the Grotto up the hill and the lower – flatter- part of the park
- Have a freshly made ice cream from a local producer
History
The land on which the park was later built was originally covered with vineyards, which were planted at the beginning of 14 century. At that time Charles IV brought French vines from his European trips and become interested in producing wine in Bohemia. The area was divided into smaller vineyards and had several different owners over the years such as – monks from a local monastery, a butcher, wealthy town gentlemen and the headmaster of a Polytechnic School in Prague.
In the 1860s, local businessman Moritz Grobe bought the area and decided to build a neo-renaissance villa on the top part of the hill and the turn the rest into a lavish park and gardens.
The side of the hill wasn’t particularly great for building large house, so he had to re-model the area by digging into the rocks and also filling a quarry that was on the site.
Apparently, they needed so much soil that they brought around 60 000 horses drawn carts full of soil and stones from other building works around Prague – mainly from digging out the Vinohrady tunnel and the Main Train Station. As you can imagine, this was pretty costly and in the end the building work cost around 1 million golden crowns.
Sadly after Moritz Grobe died, his family didn’t use the park and the villa much and at one point it was even rented out to the Habsburgs family.
Similarly like Kinsky Garden Park, eventually the family sold the park to the local town hall in 1905 and the next year it was opened to the public under the name of Havlickovy Sady. Karel Havlicek Borovsky was a famous writer and journalist.
What to see in the park
Grebovka Pavilion
Built mainly from wood and in a similar style as the Vineyard Summer House, the Grebovka Pavilion was originally used for indoor games, including billiard, balling archery or chess.
During the 1920s part of the building was used for a local nursery, which lasted well into the 1950s. After this time, the building had various uses and sadly by 1989 the whole building was in a catastrophic state and in need of complete re-refurbishment.
If you visit the pavilion today, you’ll feel like you are back in the 19th century – the whole building was tastefully renovated and there is a coffee house there and you can even rent part of the building for weddings, meetings or special celebrations.
Grotta
This area of the park looks like it has always been there – a beautiful house carved into the rocks with a hidden cave behind. The truth is that this is a completely man made cave completed with realistic rocks and mini caves inside the house. Back it the 19th century it was popular to build fake rock formations, caves and crumbling castles in parks and gardens. It was the age of romanticism, when people liked to visit nature and those who could afford it even built their own in their gardens.
Vineyard Summer House (Altan)
The current vineyard was planted at the time of Moritz Grobe and despite the frequent ownership of the whole park, wine was continuously grown and has been harvested ever since.
Several times, for example when the vineyard was hit by the bomb during the Second World War, it was nearly decided that the vineyard would be replaced by fruit trees (as these were easier to look after). Fortunately, this never happened, although the vineyard was neglected for many years, mainly during the reign of communism. Since the vineyard was owned by the town, any wine produced was only available for special occasions and hosting VIP guests at town hall meetings.
These days, the vineyard produces about 4 000 litres of wine and you can sample them in the pavilion’s restaurant.
Grebovka Villa
The villa is owned privately and it’s not open to the public, but you can still get a glance of this beautiful building through the hedges and park plantation.
Location
Prague 2 – Vinohrady area – Havlickovy Sady (Grebovka Park), access from Rybalkova Ulice (and other streets nearby)
How to get to the park
You can either walk up from Vrsovicka Street and follow the Botic Stream getting off tram number 7 or 24 at Otakarova Tram Stop.
Or you can walk down the hill from Francouzka Street and trams 4 or 22. Streets Rybalkova or U Vrsovickeho nadrazi back directly onto the park.
Entrance
The entrance to the park is free, but the park closes at night.
Facilities
There is an outdoor beer garden at the main entrance from the Rybalkova Street and the public toilets are also located there.
In the summer you can also find an ice cream & coffee cart at the entrance.
Food, snacks & Grebovka wine is served at the Vineyard Pavilion and at Pavilion Grebovka.
There are two children playgrounds – one at the bottom of the park towards Kosicka Street and one at the top/main entrance next to the toilets, ice-creams and outdoor beer garden.
What else you can see nearby
Heroldovy Park
Vrsovice Square
VISIT PRAGUE PARKS
STAY IN TOUCH
Hope this blog post inspires you and as ever I’d love to what you think! Let me know in the comments below or catch up with me over on Instagram.
Magdalena
