Established in 1832, Chotkovy Sady is Prague's oldest public park and an important part of the Prague Castle landscape. Designed by renowned landscape architect František Thomayer, the park lies between the Queen Anne’s Summer Palace and the Royal Garden, offering panoramic views of the Vltava River and Prague's historic skyline while providing a pedestrian connection to Letná Plain. The condition of the park's pathways, street furniture and vegetation had significantly deteriorated, creating the need for a comprehensive yet sensitive restoration that respected its historic and landscape values. To identify the best design solution, a landscape architecture competition was launched, accompanied by a two-phase public participation process.
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Park restoration, landscape architecture competition
Chotek Gardens, Prague 1, Czech Republic
2024 – 2026
Prague Castle Administration
Participation Office of IPR Prague + Hanus Consulting and Analysis (HanusKA)
The first phase took place before the landscape architecture competition was launched. It combined on-site collection of public input with an online survey. An ethnographic research complemented these by examining how the park is being used, identifying local values and challenges, and documenting the site's social dynamics. The findings were incorporated into the competition brief.
Following the announcement of the competition results, a second participation phase was launched in spring 2026 to gather feedback on the winning design proposal.
A key feature of the process was the emphasis on closing the feedback loop. Rather than simply collecting comments, the project team transparently communicated how public input had been assessed, whether it had been incorporated into the final proposal, and, where it had not, the reasons why.
Identifying users’ needs
Validating collected input with a broader group of respondents
Analysing patterns of use and users’ relationships with the space
Presenting the winning design proposal directly in the park, accessible to visitors 24/7
Explaining the principles of the proposal directly on site with the design team
Discussing specific design solutions and collecting feedback on the proposal
Explaining the condition of trees, proposed interventions and principles of park management
Presenting how public comments were addressed and reflected in the final design
One of the most sensitive topics in the project was the planned renewal of the park’s vegetation, particularly the health of existing trees, necessary arboricultural interventions and potential tree removal. Discussions focused on the gradual renewal of the tree population, self-seeded species, and trees planted in recent decades at the request of local residents. The original landscape composition of the park, designed by František Thomayer and based on carefully planned views from the Vltava River towards the Queen Anne’s Summer Palace, represents one of the key heritage values of the site.
To address questions around tree management, a dedicated arborist-guided walk was included in the participation process. Experts explained the historical concept of the park, the health condition of individual trees, and the reasons behind proposed interventions in relation to tree diseases and the impacts of climate change. A key part of the communication was ensuring that every tree would be assessed individually based on professional arboricultural evaluations and that decisions would not be made through a blanket approach. The event attracted approximately 50 participants and demonstrated that transparent communication, supported by expert knowledge, can help prevent conflicts and strengthen public trust in the restoration process.
Another important topic was pedestrian and cyclist safety. The existing cycle route currently passes through the park, creating conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians. Public feedback was reflected in the proposal: the cycle route will remain only in the section connecting to the bridge from Letná Plain, before being redirected outside the main park areas. The proposal therefore seeks to improve safety while maintaining an important cycling connection.
Strong cooperation between the Participation Office, the participation contractor and the Prague Castle Administration – active involvement of the commissioning authority throughout meetings and participation activities contributed significantly to the smooth running of the process. The sequence of activities also proved effective – the community planning workshop followed right after the guided site walk and thanks to a large tent provided by the Prague Castle Administration, the workshop could take place directly in the park even in unfavourable weather conditions. The arborist-guided walk helped participants better understand the principles of park management and the challenges involved in restoring historic green spaces, particularly in the context of climate change and changing conditions for urban vegetation.
Areál Pragerových kostek prochází kompletní rekonstrukcí a je uzavřen.
Letní program přesouváme až do konce září ven do ulic. CAMP najdete od podzimu na nové adrese na Pobřežní 20a v Karlíně.
Kvůli stěhování je do 31. 8. omezen provoz IPRu i některých našich aplikací a služeb.
Prohlížečka Metropolitního plánu, Výkresy územního plánu, DTM Prahy a Středočeského kraje, Cenová mapa a Atlas Prahy zůstávají v provozu.
Pro přístup k aplikacím a aktuálním informacím doporučujeme po dobu stěhování používat rozcestník na Geoportálu Prahy.
K běžnému provozu se postupně vrátíme od 1.9.
Omlouváme se za případné komplikace a děkujeme za pochopení.
