Curiosities from neighbourhood
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South Moravia County
Economically important region conveniently located in the southeast part of the Czech Republic on the borders with Austria and Slovakia has always been a strategical crossroads of Europe. The area of the country ranks to fourth place and the populations ranks to third place of the whole Czech Republic. This was the way where the Christianity walked through to Europe, many cities grew along the rivers; on the hills there still stretch vineyards and orchads. South Moravia offers to its visitors variety of cultural, natural and technical sights. Four localities are signed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site; these are complemented also by attractive folklore and wine tourism.
Nature Conservation Area of the Moravian Karst and Caves open to public
The Moravian Karst is the most known and the most important karst area in the Czech Republic. You can find here unique specimen of animate and inanimate nature, numerous archeological, paleontolgical and cultural sights. The Moravian Karst is created mainly from limestone of the Middle Devonian and the Lower Carboniferous periods. North part of the Moravian Karst is drained by the river Punkva and its feeders. Here, in the Moravian Karst, can be found cave system Amatérská cave that creates a system with other connected caves that measures almost 35km. It ranks as one of the biggest cave systems in whole middle Europe. In the middle part of the Moravian Karst is the main cave system 12km long Rudické falling – Býčí Skála. The most known cave in the south part is Ochozská cave that is around 2km long.
Today in the area of the Moravian Karst is recorded over 1 100 caves. In
many of them there is preserved evidence of long extinct life and of evolution
of humankind. There are only five caves accessible to public. They are called
cave Balcarka, Kateřinská cave, Punkevní cave, Sloupsko-Šošůvské cave and
cave Výpustek.
The geological foundation, indented terrain, the position on the boundary of the
Pannonian Hercynian region and the occurrence of Carpathian species caused an
existence of specific plant and animal communities. Noteworthy is the cave
fauna. The most known are bats, of which was discovered 21 species here.
In the caves of the Moravian Karst there are living also different species of
invertebrate animals that are perfectly able to live in complete darkness. From
the group of critically endangered species of plants there is for example
growing, on the rock wall, which is the only habitat in the Czech Republic,
CORTUSA MATTHIOLI L. Almost 60% of the Moravian Karst is covered by woods.
www.moravskykras.ochranaprirody.cz
Punkevní cave
This cave is part of the longest cave system in the Czech Republic – Amatérská cave. During the tour you will see the bottom of the well-known abyss Macocha that is 138,7m deep. You will be brought here through the massive dome system with rich stalactite formations, dominated by the Masaryk Dome – the most beautiful underground space of the Moravian Karst. The caves were gradually discovered in the years 1909–1933 (1909–1914 dry part of the cave, water sailing 1920–1933) research group led by Professor Karel Absolon.
Kateřinská cave
The cave system Kateřinská cave, which lies in Suchý Žleb, has around
500m of halls. This cave has the largest public accessible underground dome in
the Czech Republic and the stalactites and stalagmites, formed by a group of
extremely narrow, up to 4 m tall, pole stalagmites in the Bamboo forest. One of
the most famous formations is the Witch leaning on a cane.
The main dome has excellent acoustics; the visitors during the tour will listen
to reproduced music. Several times a year there are held musical and choral
concerts.
Balcarka cave
Balcarka cave in Ostrov u Macochy presents with its stalactites and stalagmites, perhaps the richest cave in the Moravian Karst, belongs to the objects sought by tourists. The natural entrance portal is an important paleontological and archaeological site. From here came numerous finds of bones of Pleistocene animals, flint and bone tools and fireplace Stone Age people.
Sloupsko-šošůvské caves
Sloupsko-šošůvské caves are the largest public accessible caves in the Czech Republic. They consist of an extensive complex of halls, corridors and vast underground abysses that connect the two underground floors with a height difference of 60 meters. In Eliščina cave with unique stalactite formations are occasionally organized concerts of chamber music. Caves are also used to treat diseases of the upper respiratory tract – speleotherapy. Part of the cave system is huge cavern Kůlna, one of our most famous and best studied archaeological site.
Výpustek cave
This cave belongs to the most important cave systems of the Moravian Karst. It has been known as the site of the bones of prehistoric fauna. Currently in the cave there is finalization of an exhibitions „Výpustek cave in Křtiny Valley“ and „The Cave ancient rituals“, representing Výpustek as the oldest cave in the Moravian Karst, cave of „dragons and unicorns“, the largest bear cave in the Moravian Karst. In the exhibition there are also presented other human activities – the first farmers, mining of phosphate loam, underground factory and secret military command post.
Macocha abyss
The main tourist attraction is the world-famous Moravian Karst abyss Macocha
that is part of the Punkevní cave. Abyss Macocha is the largest abyss of this
type in Middle Europe. The actual abyss was most likely created by break-through
of the weak ceiling of a huge underground vault of a dome, where the
subterranean river Punka flew through. Fusion of karst depressions on the
surface with the cave opened a vertical cavity of today´s depth of 138.5 m
The actual abyss can be seen from two scenic bridges. Upper – at an altitude
of 138 m above the bottom and the Lower – in the height of 90 m above the
bottom. The starting point of the visit of the two bridges is paid parking lot
about 200 m away from the abyss. Near the Upper Bridge there is the cableway
station leading to Punkva cave. To the Punkva caves leads a picturesque tourist
trail from the Lower Bridge.
Rudické falling and Býčí skála
Býčí Skála cave is located in the central part of the Moravian Karst north of the city of Brno, in the Josefov valley between Adamov and Křtiny. Along with Rudické falling it is the second longest cave system in the Czech Republic (after Amatérská cave) with a total length of over 13 kilometers. Býčí Skála is not accessible to the public. The entrance to the cave, which is barred with iron gate, is located at the bottom of the high limestone rock. Every year, members of the Speleological Group Býčí Skála prepare Open Days, which are accompanied by cultural events from their own production and their friends.
Windmills
Windmill of Rudice is situated on the height Tumperk in the southeast part of
the village Rudice. The windmill is built in Dutch type with circular stone
walls, thick at the ground 135 cm and 7.5 m height. The windmill is a
protected monument.
Windmill of Ruprechtov with a unique Halladay turbine is on the outskirts of the
village Ruprechtov (district of Vyškov). This windmill is a protected technical
monument. The mill was built in 1873 as a classic Dutch type windmill, with
wind wheel with four sail-arms and rotating roof.
Three Spruces
Three Spruces are located on the area of the village Ruprechtov, in district
of Vyškov; on the place which is called also: “Na prostředních”, “Na
barvínku” or “Na krchůvku”.
The spruces were planted in 70s´ of 19th century by the owner of the castle in
Račice, Baron von Palm. There used to be four spruces, but one was hit by
lightning and died. Today on the meadow in the middle of the woods there are
growing three spruces, the largest one has an atypical features. In this area
were filmed several scenes for the movie Kuky´s return.
Observation Tower Podvrší – Veselice
The observation tower is situated on a hill with an interesting name
Podvrší (590 m asl), about 0.5 km away from the village Veselice. Since
2001 the observation tower is located on the concrete telecommunications tower
and has its gallery located at 32 m above the ground. It is open every year
from May to October or by agreement. The operator of the observation tower is
Vavřinec village.
The visitor have a view of the entire territory of the Moravian Karst from the
gallery , from Helišovy rocks on SE to Hády on SW, and from further places,
among other things such as power plant cooling towers at a distance of about
52 km to the SW, then Pálava hills near Mikulov at a distance of 57 km to SE,
in the NE the highest peak of Drahanská highlands – the hill Skalky near
Benešov with the weather radar at an altitude of 735 m asl, on the SW
mountains Českomoravská Vysočina, in the SW a substantial part Boskovická
Brázda etc. It is notable that there are visible three more observation
towers – Babí Lom near Lelekovice in the S, in the W there is Milenka
u Rudky and observation tower near the village Kozárov.
Castle Blansko
The renaissance castle was built at the turn of 16th and 17th century on the place of a fortress that was probably built in the 13th century. The foundations of the cylindrical tower that are preserved to these days, date back to the Romanesque period.
Castle Rájec Jestřebí
A castle is situated on the edge of the village Rájec – Jestřebí, behind and old high wall, in a romantic park. Does it impress you? There are large castles, which take visitor´s breath away; then there are castles which are serious looking with strict beauty, then we know castles almost forgotten in time and then there are castles nice and welcoming. To those belongs also Rájec.
The city Boskovice and Western Park Boskovice
Not far away from Blansko there is city Boskovice which offers to visitors a tour of Jewish district, castle and chateau. Only 1km away from Boskovice there is Western Park, which offers lot of entertainment for all ages.
Arboretum Křtiny
Arboretum is the oldest and largest facility of its kind in the School Forest Company Křtiny, which is located on the road between villages Křtiny and Jedovnice, about 20 km to the north from the South Moravian capital Brno.
Castle Letovice
The first mention of the castle Letovice come from the years 1250 – 1274, but the first written mention dates from 1360. In the early 15th century the chateau was destroyed by the Hussites, in the second half of the 15th century it was restored. The Late Gothic reconstruction can be seen on several cellars with a simple portal and part of the outside walls of the castle buildings.
Křetínská Dam near the city Letovice
Dam Letovice, also called Křetínka, lies between Letovice and Křetín on the lower part of the Křetínka river. Křetínka is a tributary of the river Svitava and has its estuary in Letovice, about 1.5 km from rockfill dams. Below the level of the dam is a large part of the village Lazinov, flooded during the construction of the dam.
