The construction of the bridge has begun, which will connect the now divided parts of the botanical garden in Troja

Prague - The Botanical Garden in Prague's Troja has begun construction on a bridge that will connect the part of the garden near the Fata Morgana greenhouse with the other parts of the garden. Visitors will no longer have to leave the garden area to visit the greenhouse, as was necessary until now. The bridge is currently being built by the company Invesalles for 15.4 million crowns excluding VAT. It should be completed by spring 2023 at the latest. This information comes from contractual documents and information provided to ČTK by the garden's spokesperson, Michaela Bičíková.

"This year will see the first connection of the outdoor exhibitions with the Fata Morgana greenhouse – a bridge is being built over the path linking Troja with the Bohnice housing estate. As a result, visitors will be able to comfortably walk through the entire area," Bičíková stated.

According to her, the garden management has therefore decided to adjust the entrance fees to the area, which are now uniform. Adult visitors will pay 150 crowns for entry, children under 15 can enter for 100 crowns, and children under three can enter for free. Previously, adults paid 100 crowns to visit the outdoor exhibitions and an additional 150 crowns if they wanted to also visit the Fata Morgana greenhouse.

The garden expects further investments this year, aimed at increasing visitor comfort and experience, according to the spokesperson. New exhibition units are being created in the garden area, including exhibitions of endangered species and Japanese mist forests. Repairs have also begun on the wine house in the historically protected vineyard of Saint Klara, which is part of the complex. The reconstruction is expected to cost around 28 million crowns excluding VAT and should be completed by 2023.

A new entrance area with a visitor center and exhibition hall is also under construction on Nádvorní Street. The company OHLA ŽS has been building this since the summer of 2021 based on a design by architects from the studio AND. The costs are approximately 100 million crowns, and according to the spokesperson, the construction should be completed no later than January 2023.

The botanical garden complex has been modernized recently. In 2020, a new entrance was opened on the southern side of the complex near the vineyard of Saint Klara, which was designed by architect Ladislav Lábus. The construction of this entrance cost about 16 million crowns.

Last year, a new entrance with a restaurant and lecture hall opened near the Fata Morgana tropical greenhouse for visitors. The entrance construction was handled by the company OHLA ŽS for about 130 million crowns. In 2021, the construction of a water supply system was also completed, bringing water from the Vltava River to the garden area. Starting this year, plants cultivated in the botanical garden will be irrigated with water from the Vltava. The construction of the water supply system, which measures 828.5 meters, cost the capital city 23.8 million crowns.

The Botanical Garden of the capital city, which is a contribution organization of Prague, was founded in 1969. It has been accessible year-round since August 1992. In 2021, approximately 315,000 visitors came to the garden. The highest number of visitors to the capital's botanical garden to date was in 2019, with 376,287 people.