Grébovka (Havlíčkovy sady)

Interesting facts

1. 1

   The park features an artificial cave system known as 'The Grotto,' which served as an elaborate outdoor backdrop for social gatherings in the 1880s.

2. 2

   The vineyard located here is one of the few remaining historic vineyards within the city limits of Prague.

3. 3

   Moritz Gröbe, the original owner, made his fortune in the railway construction business, which funded the construction of the Neo-Renaissance villa.

4. 4

   The park's wooden 'Pavilion' building is a reconstructed historic bowling alley that serves as a community and cultural space.

5. 5

   Unlike many royal gardens in Prague, this park was designed specifically as a private residential garden for an industrialist rather than a public space.

Overview

Grébovka, formally known as Havlíčkovy sady, is a 19th-century Neo-Renaissance park located on the slopes of Prague's Vinohrady district. The park was originally commissioned by industrialist Moritz Gröbe as a private villa garden, featuring an artificial grotto, a wooden bowling alley, and an elaborate vineyard. Its terraced layout provides expansive views of the city skyline and the surrounding residential architecture. The site incorporates a functioning vineyard that produces local wine, which is harvested and sold within the park grounds. A prominent fountain and pond complex serves as a central feature of the lower gardens. The park is characterized by its dramatic elevation changes and a mix of formal Italian-style landscaping and wooded paths.

Insider tips

• Follow the upper pathways to access the best elevated views before heading down into the valley toward the grotto.

• Visit the vineyard wine stall during harvest season to taste wine produced directly on the premises.

• Wear footwear suitable for walking on steep, uneven gravel paths.