The Venus of Dolní Věstonice is about 11 centimeters tall and marks the beginning of a journey of discovery through the town’s long archaeological history. There is also an educational trail at the Novomlýnská Reservoir and wine tastings in local cellars. This offers a chance to experience prehistory, the landscape, and wine as different aspects of a stay in Dolní Věstonice.
Archaeological traces across several periods
Karel Absolon discovered the Venus of Dolní Věstonice in Dolní Věstonice in 1925. The town is also associated with the discovery of the oldest woven textile, as well as pottery made from fired clay and ash. These finds give the name Dolní Věstonice an archaeological significance that is not limited to a single object.
At Dolní Věstonice I, Karel Absolon began the first systematic archaeological investigation of Paleolithic sites below Pálava in 1924, under the auspices of the Moravian Museum. Remains of a hunter settlement, numerous human and animal figurines, jewelry and anthropological finds, and early evidence of new technologies, including the production of pottery and textiles, have been preserved there. Dolní Věstonice III offers a different perspective on settlement: finds from the stone industry attest both to settlement by mammoth hunters and to traces of an older Aurignacian culture dating from 40,000 to 35,000 years ago. Together, the two sites show different periods of history.
Archaeological sites and historical evidence
At Dolní Věstonice II, visitors can see the so-called Calendar of the Ages: a massive loess profile documenting Paleolithic settlement. At the northern edge of the town, at a place called Vysoká zahrada, are the remains of a rampart and the floor plan of a church that stood there until the beginning of the 13th century. A Great Moravian hillfort site and an extensive burial ground are located in the immediate vicinity of Dolní Věstonice.
The townscape also preserves historic buildings. The Habán wine cellars form a small ensemble around the square known as Husí plácek and can still be seen there today. Visitors interested in history will find, alongside the Paleolithic sites, evidence of later settlement and building history. The different sites and subjects can be viewed as separate chapters in the town’s history, rather than being combined into a single period.
Educational trail at the Novomlýnská Reservoir
The 16-kilometer Naučná stezka Věstonická nádrž educational trail runs through Dolní Věstonice and along the middle reservoir, Novomlýnská nádrž, which is considered an important bird sanctuary. Its six stops cover the birds and fish of the Novomlýnská reservoirs, the submerged village of Mušov, and the restoration of the floodplain landscape. The trail complements the archaeological themes with wildlife and changes to the landscape; those interested in these connections will find a different focus here than at the archaeological sites.
Wine tastings in local cellars
Víno Svoboda wine cellar offers guided wine tastings and sells wines directly on site. At Sklep u Elišky a Toníka, visitors can enjoy guided or unguided tastings of wines from the Červinka winery in Horní Věstonice. A small seasonal snack selection may be served during tastings there.
The offerings differ in one specific respect: Víno Svoboda offers guided tastings and direct sales; at Sklep u Elišky a Toníka, you can choose between guided and unguided tastings. This can help you decide which type of wine experience better suits your interests, without treating the two cellars as the same. Together with the archaeological sites and the educational trail, they make for a stay in which you can explore archaeological history, the landscape, and wine separately or as different themes of a visit.
Discover more destinations: Nový Přerov, Hlohovec, Strachotín, Mikulov, Jevišovka, Dobré Pole, Šitbořice, Brumovice.
For the broader travel overview: Břeclav District.
