Chudenice - English park near the Lázeň castle
One of the landmarks of Chudenice is the "English Park" near the Lázeň castle on the outskirts of Chudenice. The first rights to this garden date back to 1798. At that time, however, there was talk of a baroque, geometric garden in the French style in the northern and southern parts and of the "English part". At this time, the newly established park was mainly planted with trees imported from the Czernin castle park in Krásné Dvůr. The park at Lázně was designed by gardener Jan Kristián Thumstangler. The work was carried out by the manor's gardener Blumensagel and his assistant Messner. For the purpose of growing seedlings for the plantings of the park, a nursery was established about 1 km northwest, later rebuilt into an arboretum known today as the American Garden. Work in the park continued especially in 1825 when many seedlings of local and foreign plants were imported. In 1826, written sources also mention a greenhouse, later a winter garden, which, however, was built earlier under Count Jan Rudolf Czernin.
Since 1834, the gardener Karel Zahn has been taking care of the park, who also implemented his ideas. Care was also taken of the forest that adjoins the castle complex in the northwest. New paths for pedestrians and horse riding were established here. This forest park also included the Bolfánek lookout with a chapel, the charming Kuchyňka pavilion and the Kvapil lake. The golden age of gardens also lasted under the last count gardener Rudolf Gebr, who took up this post in mid-January 1928 and held it until his death in 1959. In addition to taking care of the park and gardens in Lázně, he also ran a horticulture business that supplied flowers and florists products to a wide area.
In 1945, Czernin property was nationalized. The park is overgrown. The beautiful ornamental and utility gardens were gradually destroyed, the buildings served the Pilsen breweries as a recovery room, and later as a hotel. In December 2009, the area was again returned to the property of the Czernins from Chudenice. The park was systematically cleared of unwanted trees and black dumps. Restoration of parts of the castle and outbuildings has begun. Today, the castle is the family's summer residence and is inaccessible. Entrance to the park is also limited.
Source: town of Chudenice
