Koněprusy combines a striking karst landscape with archaeological traces and a history of technology. Zlatý kůň, the caves and lime burning offer different ways to explore nature and the past. When planning your trip, consider whether you are especially interested in geological formations and fossils, how they are presented in an exhibition, or the history of traditional crafts.
Karst landscape and protected areas
The Zlatý kůň National Natural Monument lies 500 metres south of Koněprusy and is within the municipality’s cadastral area. This protected palaeontological landscape consists of Devonian limestone and preserves well-preserved fossils from a tropical coral reef environment. In the cave system of the Koněprusy Caves on Zlatý kůň, the passages extend for a total length of more than two kilometres. The fossils and cave system reveal different aspects of this limestone landscape.
The Kobyla Nature Reserve lies 1,500 metres southeast of Koněprusy; parts of the reserve are within the municipality’s cadastral area. It preserves a geologically significant quarry exposure, palaeontological and archaeological finds, and xerothermic steppe and woodland-steppe habitats. Compared with Zlatý kůň, the quarry exposure and dry habitats stand out here alongside geological and palaeontological themes.
The Kotýz National Natural Monument also includes karst features in Devonian limestone, xerothermic open-land habitats and a diverse invertebrate fauna within the Koněprusy cadastral area. Archaeological finds there attest to human settlement since the Palaeolithic. Karst, habitats and finds thus give the protected area both a natural-history and an archaeological dimension.
Exhibitions and insights into Český kras
The Český kras House of Nature is located near the Koněprusy Caves, in a geologically remarkable area encompassing the Kotýz and Zlatý kůň National Natural Monuments. Its indoor exhibition explores the area’s geological development, karst processes, fossils and the living nature of the protected landscape. Interactive features, models and games complement the exhibits.
The outdoor exhibition includes a geotrail with dozens of rock samples documenting more than 600 million years of Earth’s history. The two exhibition areas therefore offer different perspectives: indoors, the area’s geological development and nature are presented together; outdoors, rock samples illustrate a long history of the Earth.
The House of Nature offers a ticket office for the Koněprusy Caves, a gift shop, refreshments and facilities for families and cyclists. As visitor services may change, check the current facilities before your visit.
Archaeology and the craft of lime burning
The archaeological finds at Kotýz point to settlement since the Palaeolithic. The Koněprusy Lime Kiln offers a different historical perspective: this technical monument documents traditional lime burning, characteristic of the Český kras landscape. Archaeological traces and a traditional craft thus stand alongside each other as distinct aspects of local history.
The Koněprusy Lime Kiln is probably the last preserved pre-industrial lime kiln in Český kras. Its unusual construction, with two shafts, also makes it noteworthy as a structure. Those interested in the history of technology will find a tangible connection to lime burning here; at Kotýz, by contrast, the focus is on archaeological finds, karst features and habitats.
Educational trail and visit planning
The Zlatý kůň educational trail passes through valuable natural areas of Český kras. It offers a different perspective from an exhibition: the route through natural areas takes centre stage, while the House of Nature explores geological and natural-history themes in its indoor and outdoor exhibitions. If you plan to follow the trail, check the route conditions in advance, as they may change.
You can explore Koněprusy according to your interests: geological development and fossils at Zlatý kůň, the different habitats and finds in the protected areas, exhibitions at the House of Nature, or the history of lime burning. This distinction helps you decide what to focus on during your stay without treating nature and cultural heritage as one and the same.
Discover more destinations: Bubovice, Svatá, Praskolesy, Hýskov, Žebrák, Železná, Podkozí, Hvozdec.
For the broader travel overview: Beroun District.
