Exploring the Stone Age sites near Kutná Hora, along the silver mining trail – a 14 km tour
paul
Exploring the Stone Age sites near Kutná Hora, along the silver mining trail – a 14 km tour
Most people visit Kutná Hora for the exceptional Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque architecture in this UNESCO listed city, which became famous (and wealthy) in the Middle Ages due to its extensive silver ore deposits. For the standalone walk around the main city highlights see the separate walk page. However, the landscape around Kutná Hora has a rich history that goes back much further in time than the last thousand years or so of mining activity. The walk on this page explores over seven thousand years of mankind’s presence in the area.
The earliest Neolithic farmers likely travelled along the Labe river valley and tributary streams in the first half of the 6th millennium BC. By around 5500 BC the first prehistoric settlers had created a clearing in the oak forests on the gentle slopes above the Bylanka stream. Over the next 500 years, twenty five generations of Neolithic farmers belonging to the widespread Central European ‘Linear Beaker culture’ , built their wooden long houses, harvested their crops and crafted pottery in their small settlements in the forest glades on the outskirts of today’s Kutná Hora.
More than seven thousand years later, the Neolithic settlement at Bilany is now one of the best known outposts of the Linear Beaker Culture in Europe. The Bilany area was then occupied by successive Stone Age cultures, who later fortified the nearby hilltop sites of Dänemark and Cimburk.
The archaeological findings Dänemark hillfort are particularly important in that they document the move towards heavily fortifying settlements towards the end of the Stone Age, around 2800 BC. This was probably a response to some external threat, possibly waves of new settlers driven by population movements from the eastern steppes. This led to the creation of the earliest known stone fortification wall in Bohemia at Dänemark, and marks a highpoint in the unique Řivnáč culture which occupied much of central Bohemia at the time, but disappeared shortly after the fortification efforts at Dänemark.
Although it is possible to visit the Stone Age Bilany and hillfort area on a shorter circuit, possibly starting from Bilany (which has bus connections from Kutná Hora) a nice way to explore the historical area is to follow the southern section of the silver trail, a marked nature trail with information boards focusing on the history of silver mining in the area (in Czech only). This route has some excellent viewpoints along the way and passes some historic water mills on the Vrchlice stream.
The full route is around 14 km long (starting at the bus station which is 600m outside the center and includes a couple of small diversions to the prehistoric sites) . The route involves 300m of height to ascend-descend. None of the paths are particularly steep or difficult, but it is not a trail for walkers with strollers. There are no refreshments options on the route outside Kutná Hora center, but in the town itself there are many good places to eat. If visiting on a warm day, try the excellent Zmrzlinárna Kutná Hora (ice cream shop) which is tucked away in a side street close to the Italian Court.
Directions
Starting at the bus station, follow the BLUE trail for 600m to reach the main town square, Palackého náměstí
From there, pick up the nature trail (marked with green-white diagonal stripes) in the direction of Na Vrchlici
The trail initially winds through the old town and then descends to cross the Vrchlice stream, climbing into the hills where the silver ore was mined
The trail continues though the village of Vrchlice before following a section of footpath deep in the Vrchlice valley, cross the stream several times before reaching a series of historical mils, beginning with Mlýn Dänemark
Just after passing Mlýn Dänemark, the trail crosses the stream for a final time. On the right side is an unmarked footpath which leads up to the ramparts of Dänemark hillfort (an optional 300m diversion)
The trail then passes through a new tunnel beneath a converted mill and the path continues to reach the dam below the Large pond, passing beneath the hillfort of Cimburk on the right side
At the pond, the nature trail turns right to climb up towards the Bylany plateau (note – 600m after leaving the side of the pond there is an unmarked footpath to the right which leads across the fields for 200m to a series of small standing stones (menhirs) which are undated, but may be associated with the prehistoric sites in the area)
The fields on the right side of the main trail were wooded in prehistoric times and contained the Stone Age Bzlanz settlements. A series of information boards are set up just as the trail reaches the village of Bylany
From Bylany the nature trail descends gradually back down to the Vrchlice stream and from there returns back to Kutná Hora center, passing the famous St Barbara Gothic cathedral (note there are various short cuts available from Bylany to get back to Kutná Hora rather than following the somewhat circuitous nature trail)
Looking towards Kutná Hora across fields which were once occupied by the Bylany Stone Age settlements
