Hidden among Prague’s gems are the Heroldovy sady. These aren’t just any gardens. They hold centuries of stories. Heroldovy sady a small but significant park in Vršovice. Its history stretches back to the 14th century. Back then vineyards covered the land. Part of it belonged to the Order of German Knights.
In 1842 a significant change occurred. Jindřich Rangheri bought the land from Baron Jakub Wimmera. Rangheri had big plans. He established a mulberry orchard. Why mulberry trees? He raised silkworms. They fed on the leaves. He used the silk to produce textiles in his new two-story factory. Unfortunately after Rangheri’s death the factory and orchard were abandoned. The land was sold to small landowners.
Vršovice was growing. In 1882 the town bought the neglected land. They transformed the old mulberry orchard into a public park. Three years later Vršovice became a town. Heroldovy sady was the site of grand celebrations. A stone obelisk commemorates this milestone and honors Josef Herold the important mayor of Vršovice from 1884 to 1886. Heroldovy sady is named after him.
The park continued to evolve. In 1892-1893 schools were built. They bordered the northern side of Heroldovy sady. The old silk factory was transformed. Between 1899 and 1900 it was rebuilt. It became a Neo-Renaissance style manor house. Improvements continued. Walls separating the park from Vršovice’s main square were removed. A double-armed staircase was built on the slope.
A second part of Heroldovy sady was created between 1905 and 1906. František Žd’ánek the town gardener designed it. This added section lies under today’s Kodaňská Street. The park around Rangherka manor house was also upgraded. The park’s size increased to 30 000 square meters. In May 1908 a linden tree was planted. It celebrated the town’s elevation to municipality status. A monument to the mayor was placed near the tree.
Heroldovy sady survived World War I. Banana trees were even planted. Surprisingly they thrived and flowered in 1926. The oldest part of the gardens was renovated in 1934-1935. A Sokol cinema and a kindergarten were built nearby.
World War II damaged the park. Air raid shelters were built. Reservoirs for firefighting water were also constructed. The original layout was restored in 1947. However after 1948 the park’s name changed. It became Sady Naděždy Konstatinovny Krupské. This was in honor of Nadezhda Krupskaya Lenin’s wife. She once visited František Modráček a local politician in nearby Čeromořská Street. The park regained its original name Heroldovy sady after 1989.
In the late 1990s a terraced fountain was added. Pavel Šimek from Florart designed it. It was a series of circular and semicircular pools. Water flowed down into a basin. Segments of polished marble were embedded. The fountain however was removed during a renovation in 2011.
Today Heroldovy sady remains a place of tranquility. A significant tree a Republic Linden tree stands tall. It was planted in 1998. The park also has a unique feature. It’s a park library. Since 2013 people can borrow and donate books. Heroldovy sady continues to be a vital part of Vršovice’s history and a green oasis in Prague.