Franciscan Garden

This quiet garden tucked between Wenceslas Square and Jungmannovo Square has been here since 1348. Charles IV founded it the day after his coronation as Holy Roman Emperor, giving the land to Carmelite monks. They used it to grow vegetables, herbs, and spices for their monastery kitchen and pharmacy. The Franciscans took over in 1604. Same routine: herbs for healing, vegetables for eating, fruit trees lining the paths. For centuries, it stayed that way. Then came 1950. The communist government expelled the Franciscan friars. Some ended up in prisons. Others in internment camps. The garden was opened to the public, mainly as a shortcut between the squares. Problem was, during World War II the Germans had already damaged the place. They dug massive fire water storage tanks right into the ground. Those tanks stayed there until 1985. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, the monks got a small section back. The rest stayed public. Between 1989 and 1992, architects restored it to match its original Baroque layout. The herb beds you see now are a nod to those centuries of cultivation. The roses climbing the metal arches bloom every summer. The pavilion in the middle used to be a chapel. And less than 100 meters away, thousands of tourists rush past on Wenceslas Square, most never knowing this place exists.