Děčín Chateau rose garden

Děčín Chateau is surrounded by two gardens, the south garden and the rose garden. Both gardens are closely linked with the development of botany, horticulture and pomology (i.e. the study of fruit varieties). The complex of gardens is complemented by the Marian meadow, the site of Děčín’s original town settlement, where an extensive chateau park was built after 1831. The rose garden was established in the 17th century and was at the height of its glory during the second half of the 19th century, particularly during the era of gardener Franz Josst Jr. 

Adjacent to Děčín Chateau on the northern side lies the rose garden, which was established at the end of the 17th century by Count Maxmilian Thun, who converted the chateau in the Baroque style. The original garden embellishments were partially destroyed at the beginning of the 19th century while the chateau was being fortified during the Napoleonic Wars. The lavishly adorned sala terrena from 1678 and the Baroque gloriette from the same period have been preserved to this day. During the 19th century the rose garden was overshadowed by Franz Josst’s grand plans for the neighbouring southern gardens. The rose garden’s golden age came with the work of Josst’s son Franz Josst Jr., who created the rosarium in 1881, which would later became famous throughout the whole of the monarchy. According to a plan from 1887 a total of 87 species of rose flowered in the rose garden.
The glory days of the southern and the rose garden was closely linked to both Jossts. After the tragic death of Franz Josst in December 1862 and after the death of his son in 1905 the renown of the Děčín gardens began to wane. While definitive end came for the southern gardens after Děčín Chateau was sold to the Czechoslovak army in 1932, the rose garden survived for some time longer. Two thirds of the plants were relocated by the Thuns immediately after the chateau had been sold, although the soldiers evidently kept the garden going during the Second World War. After the war, however, the garden ceased to be cared for at all and started to become overgrown. The premises were reconstructed at the turn of the 1950s and 60s; nevertheless, from 1968 the chateau was occupied by the Red Army, which resulted in its total devastation. After the soldiers left in the early 1990s extensive restoration work commenced, which also included work to renovate the rose garden. Although it does not enjoy the glory it had in the late 19th century, nor can one see as many species of roses, the garden is still the popular attraction for visitors to the chateau.

Slavíčková, H: Zámek Děčín. Děčín 1991.
Slavíčková, H.; Joza, P.: Děčín. Praha – Litomyšl 2005.
Šuman, F.: Inter arma silent musae: šedesát let pobytu čtyř armád na děčínském zámku. Děčín 2010.
Šuman, F.: Zámek Děčín: historický průvodce. Děčín 2007. 

At the entrance to the rose garden there is a salla terena. (Author: jam)

At the opposite end stands a Baroque gloriette. (Author: jam)

What the gloriette looked like at the beginning of the 20th century. (Author: Muzeum in Děčín. Collections.)

The rose garden in 1909. (Author: Museum in Děčín. Collections.)