Bezručovy Sady in Olomouc: A Park Walk Below the Old City Walls
Bezručovy sady is the eastern park of central Olomouc, a lattice of 19th-century avenues and side paths that runs below the old city walls. Allow roughly 30 to 45 minutes for the park itself, more if you continue into the adjoining Smetanovy and Čechovy sady. This page covers where the park sits, how to reach it from the historic center, what to look for as you walk, and how it fits the rest of the green ring.
Like its neighbors, Bezručovy sady belongs to the ring of historic parks laid out around the center in the 19th century and is listed as a cultural monument. The city entrusts their upkeep to Výstaviště Flora Olomouc, which maintains roughly 50 hectares of parkland across the ring.
What Bezručovy sady is and where it sits
The park occupies the eastern edge of the historic center, a band of green running beneath the former fortification walls. It is one of three named sady in the ring — Smetanovy, Čechovy and Bezručovy — that sit close enough together to be walked as a single loop.
Because the park hugs the old walls, its paths follow a long, narrow shape rather than a broad square. That makes it easy to enter at one end and exit at the other without retracing your steps, and it keeps the walk linear if you are heading toward the Flora grounds or back into the center.
How to reach the park from Olomouc's historic center
Bezručovy sady lies within walking distance of the center, so you do not need transport to reach it. From the main square, Horní náměstí, walk east past the Holy Trinity Column and continue toward the walls; the park opens up on your right as the streets give way to trees.
If you are arriving by tram or bus into the center, treat Horní náměstí as your orientation point rather than the park itself, and walk the last stretch on foot. The approach is short enough that a taxi or rideshare adds little, and the walk brings you past the Olomouc Astronomical Clock on the way.
The layout: main avenues and side paths
The park is organized around a spine of straight alleys, with narrower side paths branching off through lawns and trees. The main avenues across all of Olomouc's historic parks run nearly two and a half kilometers in total, so even a partial walk covers real ground.
The side paths are where the park slows down, and they add up: walking every lateral path across the ring takes more than four hours. For a single visit to Bezručovy sady alone, stay on the main alley and take one or two detours rather than trying to cover the whole network. A 1992 orienteering map of the park records it at a scale of 1:5000 over about 0.42 square kilometers, which gives a sense of how compact the space is despite its long, thin shape.
What to look for as you walk
The defining feature is the wall line above the park: the avenues run directly beneath the old fortifications, so the walk alternates between open lawn and tree-shaded path with masonry overhead. The park's 19th-century planting is the reason the ring reads as a single designed landscape rather than leftover green space.
Toward the center side, the park connects naturally to the cathedral quarter, where St. Wenceslas Cathedral rises above the rooftops. If you want a break from the trees, the Archdiocesan museum sits in that same direction and pairs well with a park walk.
The artificial waterfall in Bezručovy sady
Bezručovy sady has its own feature: an artificial waterfall that was already running in the park in the 1960s. It is a specific landmark of this park rather than a generic fountain, and it gives the walk a natural halfway marker if you enter from the center.
Whether the water is running depends on the season and maintenance, so treat the waterfall as a point to find rather than a guaranteed spectacle. The park itself is free and open as public green space; there is no ticket window to plan around.
How much time to allow
Budget 30 to 45 minutes for Bezručovy sady on its own, walking the main alley end to end with a couple of side detours. That is enough to see the wall line, the waterfall and the length of the avenues without rushing.
If you want to walk the whole ring — Smetanovy, Čechovy and Bezručovy sady together, including the side paths — plan on several hours rather than a quick stroll. Most visitors do better treating Bezručovy sady as one segment of a longer walk through the center and the adjoining parks.
Nearby: Smetanovy sady, Čechovy sady and the Flora grounds
The adjoining parks continue the same designed landscape: Smetanovy sady toward the west and Čechovy sady beyond, all maintained as one historic ring. Walking from Bezručovy sady into Smetanovy sady is the easiest way to extend the visit without leaving the green belt.
The Flora exhibition grounds sit at the edge of the park ring and are home to a botanical garden, a rozárium and collection greenhouses, all separate places with their own visiting arrangements. Check the Flora Olomouc site for current opening times and admission before you go.
Where Bezručovy sady fits in your Olomouc walk
Bezručovy sady works best as the green segment of a center walk: come down from Horní náměstí, follow the alley beneath the walls, and use the waterfall as your turning point. Take the adjoining parks only if you have the time and the legs for a longer loop.
For the rest of the city, use the Olomouc guide to plan which sights to pair with the park rather than trying to see everything in one pass.
Explore more Olomouc guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Bezručovy sady free to enter?
Yes. Bezručovy sady is public green space in central Olomouc, part of the ring of historic parks the city has Výstaviště Flora Olomouc maintain, not a ticketed attraction, so there is no admission fee and no ticket window. The adjoining Flora botanical garden, rozárium and greenhouses are separate places with their own arrangements, so check the Flora site before visiting those.
Is the park open year-round?
The park is a public space within the city, and Výstaviště Flora Olomouc, which maintains Olomouc's historic parks under contract with the city, publishes park visiting rules and event rules on its park pages. Read the park visiting rules there if you are planning a group activity or event.