The garden of the Konopiště Chateau is one of the largest and most valuable gardens in the Czech Republic. An astonishing amount of trees and bushes of various species, shapes and colours grows on an area of almost 230 hectares. Visitors to Konopiště will learn that the chateau received its look during the rebuilding of an original, Gothic castle in the 18th century and that the first works on the gardens started at the same time. However, the biggest boom in the landscaping of the park came at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when Konopiště became the family seat of the archduke Franz Ferdinand d’Este. The park near the chateau is landscaped in the French style with abundant sculpture decoration and terraces. An alley leading from the town of Benešov to the chateau is lined with lindens, grey poplars and various types of oaks. The Rose Garden is just made for romantic strolls. The parterre boasts scores of sculptures and is surrounded by trees which create numerous nooks and alleys. Over 200 rose species and their varieties grow here. From the very foundation of the park, the archduke ordered the planting of 8.5 thousand roses. Meadows in different parts of the gardens are lined with many exotic trees. The gardens provide a good place for wild game. Franz Ferdinand also established nearby pheasantries and had hundreds of small animals and big game reared in the park and surrounding hunting grounds. A large pond is also part of the gardens. There is a walking trail around it, and the view of the chateau reflected on the water’s surface is magical, particularly in the autumn.