Gardens and Castle at Kroměříž

A Baroque palace and linked formal gardens in the town of Kroměříž, Czech Republic, comprising the Archbishop’s Palace and two principal garden complexes that together form a coherent aristocratic landscape. The ensemble is noted for its well-preserved 17th- and 18th-century layout and decorative features.

The palace contains state rooms and historical interiors, while the adjacent Flower Garden (Květná zahrada) features axial alleys, geometric flower beds, ornamental statues and domed gallery spaces. The larger Pleasure Garden (Podzámecká zahrada) provides more informal lawns, tree-lined avenues and water elements laid out for recreation and spectacle.

Developed under the bishops-archbishopric in the 17th and 18th centuries, the castle and gardens were remodelled in Baroque and later styles to serve representational, private and ceremonial functions. Surviving plans and built elements document the gardens’ evolution and sustained use.

The complex sits in the provincial town of Kroměříž in the Zlín Region of eastern Moravia, set within a cultivated river plain and close to the town centre.

• Garden style and date: The gardens combine formal geometric layouts and sculptural elements dating mainly to the 17th and 18th centuries, designed for both ceremonial and recreational use.
• Relationship and location: The complex is located in the town of Kroměříž and remains a prominent example of Central European Baroque garden design with an intact relationship between palace and gardens.

What to See #

• Archbishop's Palace: The Archbishop's Palace, a principal Baroque building that housed the Moravian bishops and contains historic state rooms and a substantial art collection.
• Flower Garden and Pleasure Garden: The Flower Garden (Květná zahrada) and the Pleasure Garden (Podzámecká zahrada), baroque and renaissance-style gardens laid out in the 17th and 18th centuries with axial paths, geometric beds and water features.