Liberec Botanical Garden is building a unique pavilion for water lilies

Liberec - The Botanical Garden in Liberec has begun constructing a unique pavilion in Europe, where it aims to relocate the three largest species of water lilies, including the rare Victoria regia. The special greenhouse will ensure optimal conditions for these giant plants. The construction will cost nearly 12 million crowns, with 85 percent of the expenses covered by the European Union from the Integrated Urban Development Program. On the occasion of the groundbreaking, Michal Vereščák from the city hall spoke to journalists today.
The Liberec Botanical Garden is the oldest of its kind in the country. Its opening in 1895 was facilitated by members of the Society of Friends of Nature. Initially, it was primarily intended to provide greenery for the city; in 1930, the first greenhouse was built there, and nearly 30 years later, the first marine aquarium in the country was also established. Today, the botanical garden offers over 8,000 exotic plants in nine greenhouse pavilions covering an area of 3,000 square meters and boasts several unique specimens, including the five oldest camellias in Europe and the largest cross-section of a fossilized trunk ever found in the Czech Republic.
The new pavilion will be very attractive for visitors, who will see all three largest water lily species in the world side by side at full size. The walls of the tanks will be made of thick glass and the water level will be at waist height. "The visitor will feel as if they are standing in the water among the water lilies," noted the garden's director, Miroslav Studnička. The greenhouse will also allow for evening tours, as the giant Victoria regia, whose leaves can reach up to three meters in diameter in the wild, blooms only at night.
The lily pavilion will complement the greenhouse complex built according to the design of architect Pavel Vaněček from 1995 to 2000. Its layout resembles a grouping of plant cells and represents 13 different botanical themes. The new pavilion will have the same author and will be in the same spirit, but lower. It will stand independently in close proximity to the wetland flora exhibit, to which it organically belongs, according to Studnička. "Moreover, it has been shown that the best lighting conditions are here," added the director.
After 13 years, the new pavilion is the first major construction in the area and likely the last for a long time. Studnička does not plan any more projects. "It is already the largest greenhouse complex open to the public in the republic. It is twice as large as the famous Fata Morgana in Prague, and we have the most pools and water surfaces," stated Studnička. Annually, around 50,000 people visit the Liberec area, and according to the director, the capacity is approximately double that. "Visitor numbers have been affected by the crisis in recent years; the number of visitors has decreased, and people can't afford it," he added.