The first efforts to establish a botanical garden in Prostějov are attributed to Václav Spitzner, a professor and later director of the Prostějov real estate. Spitzner founded the Natural Science Club in Prostějov and became its first chairman. He enthusiastically researched the regional flora and published a number of articles in his work. Unfortunately, he did not realize his intention to establish a botanical garden in the city. After his death in 1907, his intention was promoted by other professors of the real school, especially Rudolf Wolf and František Cvetler, as well as MUDr. Jaroslav Mathon and the administrator of the city parks František Havránek, but even they were not successful. It was not until 1932 that the city council decided to use the land of the former cemetery and the land in Lazarety Street.
In 1933, the Board of Trustees for the Botanical Garden in Prostějov was established, whose members became professors of botany in Prostějov secondary schools, other experts and enthusiasts. The inaugural meeting of the board of trustees took place on March 24, 1933 and was chaired by the then mayor Jan Sedláček. The elaboration of the garden project was entrusted to František Havránek. The peculiarity is that the garden was founded by the city. Botanical gardens were mostly established by schools or associations. The botanical garden was focused on the presentation of regional flora (Kosíř, Předina, Grygov, Hněvotínské rocks). On September 9, 1934, the mayor ceremoniously handed over the botanical garden to the chairman of the board of trustees. The mission of the garden was proclaimed by a board with ten for visitors at the entrance to the garden.
The text of the Ten has been preserved and reads as follows:
- Go to this garden with your children often
- Teach yourself and your children to know these plants
- Save landscaping this garden
- Just follow the paths
- Do not pick flowers
- Do not damage the inscriptions
- Do not throw away paper and trash
- Follow the instructions of the gardeners and the caretaker
- Bring other plants to the garden
- Love this garden and respect your homeland
During the war, the garden was severely affected by the fact that it was located in the immediate vicinity of the barracks in which German soldiers were. In 1944-45 it was practically destroyed. After the liberation, it was restored, but never reached its original extent. One of the reasons was the fact that in a short time several different bodies took turns in its management.
In 1990, the garden underwent small changes. An area was added to it, on which a new entrance and sanitary facilities were built. The composition of plant material in the garden was adapted not only to the requirements of primary and secondary school teaching, but also to the requirements of gardeners. Since 1986, it has also been included in the international list of botanical gardens.
The relationship of the city to the botanical garden was very good, it was well secured financially. In the second half of the 1930s, a part of the garden was also a zoo, which was to increase the attractiveness of the garden for visitors. However, the intention did not work out, because despite great efforts, it was not possible to keep the animals in good health. Therefore, after a few years, the zoo had to be closed. On the contrary, plant species have prospered here and are doing very well. To illustrate – in 1938, 3311 species of plants were planted on an area of 1.5 hectares, the number of individual plants was estimated at about 20,000 pieces.
In 1966, the garden became part of the city parks and came under the administration of the Technical Services of the city of Prostějov. Great efforts have been made to restore some areas, overgrown areas have been cleared, roads have been widened and paved, some genera have been supplemented by species, plants have been reclassified and labeled. In 1989, the botanical garden threatened to be relocated and the land attached to neighboring barracks. The Prostějov branch of nature conservationists and especially the student organization of nature conservationists at the J. Wolkr grammar school then tried in every possible way to save the botanical garden, moreover, the end of the former regime came, so the garden remained in its place.
In 2012, the botanical garden was named after the Prostějov conservationist Petr Albrecht, who made a significant contribution to both the botanical garden and nature protection in the Prostějov region.
In 2014, the Petr Albrecht Botanical Garden was expanded, thus gaining its current form.
Opening hours of the botanical garden:
May – September
Monday – closed
Tuesday – Friday 8.00 – 18.00
Saturday 10.00 – 16.00
October – April
Monday – Friday 8.00 – 15.00
Free entry.
