Vinohrady: Belle Époque Prague Walk - Parks, Villas and Mascarons

Built at the end of the 19th century, this monumental Neo-Gothic church became a spiritual and social landmark of the rapidly growing Vinohrady district. Its rich decoration reflects the ambitions of a confident middle class and features works by some of the leading Czech artists of the time. More than a place of worship, it marked Vinohrady’s arrival as a prestigious and self-aware urban neighborhood.

Opened around 1900, Divadlo na Vinohradech occupies a lavish Neo-Renaissance building and has been one of Prague’s leading drama theatres from its beginnings to this day.

Náměstí Míru (Peace Square; named so since 1948) is the main square of Vinohrady district, formerly a town. It is surrounded by architecturally and socially significant buildings, including the National House at Vinohrady, Divadlo na Vinohradech, and the Basilica of St. Ludmila. The square is closely linked to Prague’s tram history, with tram services operating here since 1897.

Vinohradská Avenue is the main street of the district and one of Prague’s most important traffic arteries, extending eastward for several kilometres, changing names and linking the western districts of the city. In its initial sections, nearly every building is an architectural landmark of Neo-Renaissance or Modernism, and the avenue hosts a number of official and socially important institutions, most notably the Czech Radio. The radio building was, among other events in its long history, one of the centres of resistance during the 1968 invasion.

Italská (Italian) Street, in contrast to Vinohradská Avenue, is a typical residential side street in Vinohrady. It offers a concentrated display of Neo-Renaissance architecture, where façades were designed to communicate status, taste, and individuality. Intricate balconies, monumental portals, and expressive mascarons create a continuous visual narrative carved in stone.

Riegrovy sady is a vast park that emerged as a city park together with the entire Vinohrady district at the beginning of the 20th century. From its beginnings, it became a popular promenade for the upper middle class settled in Vinohrady. Today, you can find people exercising on the lawns, groups sitting on benches or blankets, musicians performing for passers-by, and locals walking their dogs. A wide view over the city draws people here to watch the sunset. In summer, the park hosts a large and lively beer garden.

The Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord is a monumental landmark in Prague. Completed in 1932 to commemorate the millennium of the first Czech saint and patron, St. Wenceslas, it is an architectural masterpiece that can hardly be paralleled or attributed to any particular style.

Čapek Brothers Gardens is a small green space in the quiet heart of Vinohrady. It is named after the brothers Karel Čapek and Josef Čapek, influential Czech intellectuals of the early 20th century. Though hidden from the city’s bustle, the park is flanked by a number of architecturally interesting buildings. It marks the beginning of the villa quarter of Vinohrady, with nearby villas built for prominent figures of the early 20th century, notable for both their architecture and the stories of their owners. Nearby stand the Hussite Church (Congregational House) in the Constructivist style and the former Vinohrady Water Tower, another example of civic architecture closely connected with the development of Prague in the late 19th century.

Grébovka, also known as Havlíček park, is a spacious park laid out on the slopes descending toward the Botič stream. It was created as a romantic countryside park around the villa of the industrialist Moritz Gröbe. The park still contains a vineyard reflecting the area’s historical name, Vinohrady (“vineyards”), with its own wine production, as well as characteristic features of a romantic park such as a grotto, a lake, and a waterfall. Today, it remains one of the most popular parks among Prague residents.