Průhonice
Municipality with a UNESCO-listed castle park in the Czech Republic.
Průhonice is a village and municipality in the Central Bohemian Region, located in the Prague-West District roughly four kilometers southeast of Prague. Its population is around 2,900. The settlement sits on the Botič Stream within the flat terrain of the Prague Plateau, and its territory is dotted with small fishponds.
The name comes from the Czech word *průhon*, meaning a path for driving cattle to pasture or water, so the village’s name essentially means “the village founded on such paths.”
Administratively, Průhonice has two parts: Průhonice itself (with 2,857 residents as of the 2021 census) and the smaller Rozkoš (66 residents).
The first written record of Průhonice dates to 1187, when the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary was consecrated. The earliest known owners were the Lords of Průhonice in the 1270s. In the 14th century, the Lords of Říčany held the village, and in the 16th century the Zapský of Zápy family rebuilt the local castle into a Renaissance residence. The estate prospered under the Desfours family in the 18th century, and in the 19th century the Nostitz-Rieneck family owned it. Johann Nepomuk von Nostitz-Rieneck completely rebuilt Průhonice Castle in the Neoclassical style.
The D1 motorway from Prague to Brno passes through the municipality. As of January 1, 2023, the 5.2-kilometer stretch of that motorway from Prague to Průhonice was reclassified as a first-class road.
Průhonice Castle and its park are the main sights. The park, founded in 1885 by Count Arnošt Emanuel Silva Tarouca, covers 250 hectares, with 211.42 hectares designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its own right. It is described as an “original masterpiece of garden landscape architecture of worldwide importance.” The castle itself underwent a Neo-Renaissance reconstruction from 1889 to 1894, giving it its current appearance. Since 1927, the state has owned the complex, which now houses the Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The entire castle complex has been protected as a national cultural monument since 2010, and the park received its UNESCO listing later that same year.
Within the park stands the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the oldest surviving building in the municipality. Originally Romanesque, it was extended in the Gothic style after 1300 and later modified during the Bar
- population
- about 2,900
- location
- Prague-West District, Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic
- first_written_mention
- 1187
- known_for
- Průhonice Castle and its UNESCO-listed castle park
- UNESCO_designation
- 2010 (as a separate site)
Quick Facts
- Settlement Type
- Municipality
- Subdivision Type
- Country
- Subdivision Type1
- Region
- Subdivision Name1
- Central Bohemian
- Subdivision Type2
- District
- Subdivision Name2
- Prague-West
- Established Title
- First mentioned
- Established Date
- 1187
- Area Total Km2
- 7.69
- Elevation M
- 306
- Population As Of
- 2026-01-01
- Population Total
- 2867
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The first written mention of Průhonice is from 1187, when the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary was consecrated. The first documented owners were the Lords of Průhonice in the 1270s. In the 14th century it was owned by the Lords of Říčany, and in the 16th century by the Zapský of Zápy family, who rebuilt the local castle into a Renaissance aristocratic residence. The estate flourished in the 18th century under the Desfours family, and in the 19th century it was property of the Nostitz-Rieneck family, with Johann Nepomuk von Nostitz-Rieneck completely rebuilding the castle in the Neoclassical style.
The castle park was founded in 1885 by Count Arnošt Emanuel Silva Tarouca. The castle's current Neo-Renaissance appearance dates from 1889–1894. Since 1927 the castle has been owned by the state and houses the Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, located in the park, is the oldest preserved building in the municipality, originally Romanesque and later extended in Gothic and Baroque styles.
The municipality consists of two parts: Průhonice (2,857 inhabitants) and Rozkoš (66 inhabitants) according to the 2021 census. The D1 motorway from Prague to Brno runs through Průhonice; a 5.2 km section from Prague to Průhonice was reclassified to a first class road on 1 January 2023.
Reader's Guide
Průhonice is significant primarily for its castle park, described as an 'original masterpiece of garden landscape architecture of worldwide importance.' The park covers 250 hectares, of which 211.42 hectares are a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 2010 as part of the Historic Centre of Prague). The castle complex itself is a national cultural monument. The Dendrological Garden, founded in the 1970s, covers 73 hectares and contains about 5,000 taxa of woody plants and perennials, making it one of the largest collections of ornamental plants in the country. The municipality lies on the Botič Stream in the Prague Plateau, about 4 km southeast of Prague. Notable resident Andrej Babiš, a politician and businessman, lives here. The name derives from the Czech word 'průhon,' meaning a path used to drive cattle to pasture or watering.
Did You Know?
- The name Průhonice is derived from the Czech word 'průhon,' meaning a path used to drive cattle to pasture or to a watering place.
- The castle park was founded in 1885 by Count Arnošt Emanuel Silva Tarouca.
- The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, consecrated in 1187, is the oldest preserved building in the municipality.
- The Dendrological Garden, founded in the 1970s, contains about 5,000 taxa of woody plants and perennials.
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