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The unique limestone quarries of Velká and Malá Amerika – 2 km to 6 km walks

  • Four hundred million years ago the Prague basin was a warm tropical sea, filled with a rich variety of marine organisms. Over many millions of years these organisms settled on the sea bed and were gradually compressed into the layers of high quality limestone rock that make up much of the Český kras region today.
  • Český kras limestone has been quarried at least since the Middle Ages, but it was not until the end of the 19th century that the extraction activities took on an industrial scale. Huge amounts of limestone were needed for the rapidly increasing number of Bohemian blast furnaces, used to create iron and steel for the Austro-Hungarian empire. It was also in demand across the country for new glass manufacturing processes.
  • As a consequence, many new quarries were opened across the territory and the area became scarred with deep canyons and pits. Later, the abandoned quarries sometimes filled with water, creating a dramatic landscape which testifies not only to the recent industrial past but also showcases 400 million years of geology and paleontology. Today, fossil hunters scour the old quarries in search of examples of the now world famous Český kras trilobite and ammonite.
  • Probably the most famous (and certainly the most scenic) of the abandoned quarries in Český kras are Velká and Malá Amerika, located near Mořina, just a few kilometers from Karlštejn and the Berounka river. There are two parking areas at the eastern end of Velká Amerika (there are also infrequent buses to/from Zličín). The quarries were opened at the very end of the 19th century and operated until 1963. A series of tunnels were dug between the individual quarries in the complex, which now provide a winter home for many species of bat.
  • Today the quarries are partly filled with water, but access to the lower levels of these privately owned sites is not permitted without a guide – there are organized tours available. The sites are frequently used as film sets, including the recent Britannia TV series, much of which was filmed in the Czech Republic.
  • There is a marked hiking trail along the northern edge of the largest quarry (Velká) and it is possible to circumnavigate the quarry along an unmarked wide track – this return track is actually a better path than the marked trail and provides a way for those with strollers to visit the best viewpoint – which is at the western end of the quarry 1km for the parking areas. The marked trail continue past the Mexiko and Malá Amerika quarries – which are also worth visiting, but are less impressive than Velká Amerika.
  • The circuit of Velká Amerika is 2.2 km long and the extension to Malá Amerika adds an extra 3.4 km to the trip (with 100m of height gained-lost). Apart from the final 1 km section returning along the south side of the quarry (which is easy and suitable for strollers) the trail is quite narrow with a couple of steeper sections.
  • There are no refreshment stops on the trail, the nearest being in the village of Mořina, 2 km away. If wanting to combine the quarry walk with another short trip in the area, consider a visit to nearby Mořinka, where there is a short hike to the modern menhir at the viewpoint above the village. Mořinka also has a small pub.

Note: click ‘Show on Mapy.com’  to go to a full screen version of the route directly on the mapy.com site. This can be used for on line navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file.

Directions

  • Start the walk at one of the two car parks at the eastern end of Velká Amerika. These are reached on the road between Mořina and Bubovice. There are infrequent buses from Zličín to the same place.
  • If walking with a stroller then follow the unmarked wide track that runs directly from the car park nearest the bus stop, along the southern edge of the quarry. After 1 km reach a large sandy area, with banks at the edges – there is an excellent view of the quarry from these banks. Return back to the parking area on the same path
  • If following the normal route, join the YELLOW hiking trail at the car parks – there are a couple of fenced off view points over the quarry
  • After 900m, there is an unmarked path to the left which leads after 100m to the best viewpoint over Velká Amerika.
  • Return back to the yellow trail and continue on to the viewpoint over the Mexiko quarry, reached after 200m
  • From Mexiko continue through on the YELLOW trail through the forest then two fields, crossing the quarry road once – there are steep descents and ascents. Reach the Malá Amerika hiking signpost 1.6 km after leaving Mexiko. There is a viewpoint over this smaller quarry 50m from the trail signpost
  • Return back along the YELLOW trail to the hiking signpost next to Mexiko quarry (Lom a pomník politických vězňů). Continue for 50m more on the YELLOW trail and then turn right onto the unmarked but wide quarry track
  • On the left after 50 is a large flat area with banked edges – there is an excellent view of Velká Amerika from the top of these banks
  • Continue on the unmarked wide track along the south edge of the quarry from 1 km to reach the car parks
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