Vojan Gardens

Forget the crowds at Charles Bridge. Behind this entrance is a place most tourists never find. You're standing at the gate to Vojanovy Sady, a 2.4 hectare garden that dates back to 1248. That makes it one of the oldest partially preserved gardens around. It started as a fruit orchard for an Archbishop's court. Problem was, the garden got destroyed in the early 15th century. Fast forward to 1656. The Carmelite Order moved in and turned it back into an orchard. They stayed until 1782 and left behind two remarkable chapels. The black Chapel of St. Elijah was built between 1660 and 1670 in the shape of a stalactite cave. Dark gray stalactites cover its facade. Inside, walls decorated with stones, glass, and shells surround oval frescoes showing events from the prophet's life. The white Chapel of St. Teresa of Avila came later, built in the first half of the 18th century. Here's the twist: this place stayed hidden from the public until 1954. When it finally opened, it was named after Eduard Vojan, a famous Czech actor who lived nearby in Klárov and died in 1920. Peacocks roam freely among fruit trees and magnolias while most people walk right past the entrance.