Also known are the hidden gardens and parks of the capital

Fresh air, the feeling of a gentle breeze on your face and the singing of birds overhead. Time in nature can help you relax, think differently, sleep better, and, last but not least, be healthier. Even in the city, we can find pieces of nature that we all need so much. Visit the well-known and hidden treasures of the capital, even if you only have to do it for a few minutes, alone, with your partner or with your family. Believe that the positive effects will not be long in coming.

Janko Kráľ's orchard

Perhaps the most famous park in Bratislava, and also the oldest public park in Central Europe, bears its current name after the Slovak romantic poet Janko Kráľ. However, in the past it was also known as Bruckenau, Aupark, Petržalské or Tyršove sady.

It extends over 42 hectares between the SNP Bridge and the Old Bridge, between the Danube and the Aupark shopping center. It was founded in 1774–76 during the reign of Maria Theresa. Its composition was originally in the shape of a star of eight straight lines, in which avenues of trees were planted and paths were built. Thanks to this, the park was named Sternallee (Star Alley). In the 19th century, after the wars with Napoleon, when defensive ramparts were built on its territory, the avenues were replaced by paths with numerous bends, and new foreign trees were added. After the founding of the Bratislava Beautification Society (1868), flower beds were planted in the park, which made it famous even beyond the borders of Austria-Hungary. Further changes to the park's appearance came during World War II, when many rare trees were cut down. It acquired its current form after restoration at the end of the 20th century. We can admire exotic tree species such as ginkgo biloba, orange maklura, Chinese metasequoia, etc. The most unique trees are the maple-leaf plane trees, which are about 200 years old and have a trunk circumference of more than 500-600 cm. The park also features a fountain and an amphitheater. The Janko Kráľa Garden is open to the public continuously and without restrictions.

Koch's Garden

At the beginning of the 20th century, the place where the Koch Sanatorium and Koch Garden now stand was covered with vineyards and orchards. In the 1930s, Professor Karel Koch, MD, had a unique architectural work built based on designs by renowned Czechoslovak architects – a sanatorium bearing his name.

It also included a garden, the planting of which was designed and carried out by the gardener of the Tesárske Mlýňany arboretum, Jozef Mišák. He used the varied division of the garden and, by appropriate distribution of the material, created a very impressive work of garden art on an area of ​​about 0.5 ha. Originally, 120 species of trees were planted in the garden, of which 30 were coniferous and 26 were deciduous evergreen exotic trees. After World War II, the sanatorium was nationalized, the building fell into disrepair, and for a long time, care for the garden was limited to preserving its existing condition. Later, it simply became overgrown and abandoned. Until recently, Koch's Garden was only open to the public during the Open Parks and Gardens Weekend. In 2021, the garden became the property of the City of Bratislava, which ensured its basic maintenance, placed new benches and chairs with tables, and in August 2022 opened it to the public during opening hours. Koch's Garden is a National Cultural Monument, and the plan for its comprehensive restoration, which the city is continuing, is adapted to this.

Prüger-Wallner Garden

The Prüger-Wallner Garden bears the name of the former owners of the famous Carlton and Savoy hotels. They had a villa with a swimming pool built on an elevated spot near the Mountain Park, surrounded by an ornamental and utility garden. They grew fruit and vegetables there, and also had flowers. In one part of the garden there were four greenhouses and a garden house with a boiler room for heating them. The Prüger-Wallners spent a lot of time in the garden, relaxing in it, and they say they loved playing croquet the most. After World War II, when the family left Slovakia, the garden gradually fell into disrepair. The ornamental part was replaced by construction, and the utility part was divided into small gardens. Decades without maintenance have left their mark on it, but the city of Bratislava has decided to return it to its former glory and is gradually revitalizing the neglected garden. The garden is freely accessible to the public during opening hours. The entrance is located opposite the Funus pub.