Hidden star of Prague: discover Obora Hvězda
In this episode of Prague off the Beaten Track, we explore Obora Hvězda, a quiet park in Prague 6 that hides a remarkable story. From its origins as a royal game reserve to the striking Renaissance Letohrádek Hvězda, the site reflects centuries of history, ambition, and transformation. Today, it offers a calm escape — but beneath the surface lies a landscape shaped as much by human design as by nature itself.
A tram ride to a different Prague
If you take tram number 22 all the way to its final stop, Bílá hora, you’ll find yourself far from the crowded streets of central Prague. A short five-minute walk brings you to the entrance of Obora Hvězda — literally “The Star Game Reserve.”
Step through one of the historic gates, and the transition is immediate. The city fades away. The air becomes cooler, quieter. Long, straight paths stretch ahead, cutting through the forest with almost geometric precision. There’s a sense of order here — not accidental, but designed.
Because what looks today like a natural forest park was originally something quite different. Established in the 16th century under Ferdinand I, this was a royal hunting ground. The trees, the clearings, even the layout of the paths were carefully planned. This was not wilderness — it was a controlled landscape, shaped to reflect power, prestige, and the carefully staged leisure of a ruling elite.
The star at the beginning
Follow one of those long, straight paths for more than a kilometer, and eventually you arrive at the heart of it all — the striking Letohrádek Hvězda. Its name explains everything. The building’s ground plan forms a perfect six-pointed star — a design that goes far beyond simple decoration. In the Renaissance, geometry was seen as a way of understanding the world. Harmony, proportion, symmetry — these were not just aesthetic choices, but reflections of a deeper cosmic order.
Standing here, the star begins to feel like more than just an architectural curiosity. It becomes a symbol of perfection, but also of control — over space, over nature, even over how people moved through the surrounding landscape. At the same time, it signals intellectual ambition: a ruler’s desire to demonstrate not just power, but knowledge. This is architecture as a statement.
Layers of history: from love story to war
Over the centuries, the summer palace has seen many different roles. Originally, it was part of a royal retreat — and according to tradition, Archduke Ferdinand II dedicated it to his secret wife, Filipina Welser, a story that still lends the place a romantic undertone.
But history was often less gentle. The surrounding area was repeatedly damaged during conflicts, especially after the Battle of White Mountain, a turning point in Czech history that took place just nearby. Armies camped here, cut down trees, and left the landscape devastated.
Later, under Joseph II in the 18th century, the neglected building was repurposed as a gunpowder depot, and for nearly a century the area around it was kept deliberately clear for safety reasons. In the 20th century, the palace found a new role as a museum dedicated to Alois Jirásek and Mikoláš Aleš. Today, it has been carefully restored and is open to visitors, offering a glimpse into its richly decorated interiors.
From royal hunts to everyday life
Walking back into the forest, it’s hard to imagine what this place once looked like. This was a carefully controlled environment where hunting was both sport and spectacle. Animals were brought in, bred, and kept within strict boundaries — from deer and wild boar to more exotic species.
Today, the atmosphere couldn’t be more different. Instead of aristocrats on horseback, you’re more likely to meet families with prams, joggers, or dog walkers. Surrounded by the residential district of Prague 6, the park feels like a local retreat — accessible, relaxed, and quietly removed from the city’s faster pace.
There are also small touches of everyday comfort. A café near the summer palace, a well-known local pub just outside one of the gates — U Holečků — and even an open-air restaurant near the main entrance make it easy to spend hours here.
Unexpected connections
Even here, history has its surprises. Just outside the park, on a wide open meadow, cricket has occasionally been played — a reminder that Prague’s story connects in unexpected ways to the wider world. Clubs like the Prague Cricket Club still keep the sport alive in Czechia, adding a slightly British touch to this very Czech landscape.
Obora Hvězda may not be on every visitor’s list, but that’s exactly what makes it special. It’s a place where layers of history — imperial ambition, war, culture, and everyday life — quietly coexist beneath the trees.
Fact Box: Obora Hvězda
Location: Prague 6 (near Bílá hora)
Type: historic game reserve (obora), today a public forest park.
Established: mid-16th century under Ferdinand I.
Main landmark: Letohrádek Hvězda, built in the 1550s.
Historical highlights: originally a royal hunting ground; damaged during the Battle of White Mountain and the Thirty Years’ War; later used as a gunpowder depot under Joseph II; opened to the public from the late 18th century.
Today: managed as a protected natural area; the summer palace is open to visitors, with entrance fee for interiors and guided tours available.
Nature and landscape: mix of deciduous trees such as oak, beech, and hornbeam; designed forest layout with long, straight paths; enclosed by walls with several historic gates preserved.
Fun fact: cricket matches have occasionally been played on nearby open fields by the Prague Cricket Club.
about programme
Czechast, Radio Prague International
Czechast is a regular RPI podcast about Czech and Moravian culture, history, and economy.
