Prague 7
OUTDOOR EVENTS FOR THE PUBLIC - 12.5. 2019 / 14:00
More about the history and the present location.
Letenské Sady, or rather Park on Letné, was chosen in 2004 by 5 Prague Rotary Clubs as the place where each member would plant one linden tree as a commemmoration of 100 years of Rotary International to increase the town’s green belt. Following the tree vegetation cycle, these were planted before 28th October 2004. Since then, under these now grown trees, Prague Rotarians meet informally (RC Praha City, RC Staré Město, RC Prag Bohemia, RC Praque International, RC Praha). Other planting of such commemmorative trees took place in many other places in our Rotary District.
Letenské Sady has been an open space from time immemorial. At certain times in the past, armies gathered. The first time this Letné space is mentioned is in 1261, when Přemysl Otakar II held a feast to celebrating his crowning as King. Significant urban development of the eastern hillside above a river Vltava meander was in the second half of the 19th Century, and the flat area near the hill top was systematically turned into a French style of park from 1860. The Jubilee Industrial Exhibition in 1891 in Stromovka helped to develp this Letne area for recreation and relaxation of townspeople, by building a funicular to the Letenske Chateau and connecting tram tracks, the first in the Czech lands. This funicular was in operation until 1916. After the Exhibition ended, the unique children’s Merry-go- Round as well as the Hanavský Pavilion were moved to the Park on Letné; this latter now serves as a restaurant.
Many years later in 1960, another pavilion was moved to the eastern edge of this Park from another exhibition, this time from Brussels, the World EXPO 58. The Park has long, well tended paths, which are favoured by runners, inline skaters, cyclists and others doing sports.
Letenské Sady are on the edge of the historical centre of Prague which is written into the List of Worl cultural and natural heritage sites UNESCO.
