Trója

The Vltava River encircles Holešovice, Letná, and Stromovka, so they form a sort of peninsula. North of this peninsula lies Troja. Originally, this orchard was named Ovenec, but the magnificent Sternberg Castle of Trója signalled the renaming of this area. Jean-Baptiste Mathey built this summer retreat for Václav Vojtěch of Sternberg between the years of 1679-85. Today, the Baroque interiors and gardens serve the Gallery of Prague.

Below the castle lie the Botanical Gardens, founded in 1969 and, next to the castle, are the 45-hectare Zoological Gardens, which opened to visitors in 1931. Their uniqueness lies not only in their copious utilization of the richness and contours of the local countryside but also in the successful husbandry of Przewalski’s horses. This type of horse can no longer be found in the wild and is actually an animal from ancient times.