Lípa neviny, Historic linden tree in Buchlov Castle, Czech Republic

Lípa neviny is an ancient linden tree growing on the grounds of Buchlov Castle. The tree rises from a lawn beneath a castle terrace and can be observed from a stone table positioned above it.

The linden was first documented by Vincenc Brandl in 1863. The legend places its planting in 1581, when Jindřich Prakšický ze Zástřizl took over the Buchlov estate and was murdered that same summer. A condemned young man is said to have planted the tree upside down to prove his innocence.

The tree is known as Lípa neviny, Lípa nevinnosti or Lípa v Buchlově, and its legend was recorded by Vincenc Brandl in 1863. The tale places the planting in 1581, when Jindřich Prakšický ze Zástřizl held Buchlov and was murdered that summer. The tree appears on old postcards, was painted by Jaroslav Turek and featured in the Czech Television series Paměť stromů, episode 10.

The tree stands in the third courtyard of Buchlov Castle at approximately 500 meters elevation. You can see it during the castle's regular opening hours.

Despite being planted upside down with roots toward the sky, the tree has continued to grow normally and sprouts multiple shoots from its unusual position. This ability to thrive under such paradoxical conditions makes it a botanical oddity that defies expectations.