Bílichovské údolí

Bílichovské údolí is a national nature monument in Central Bohemia, located within the Džbán protected landscape area, roughly 2 km southwest of the village of Bílichov. It ranks among the oldest protected sites in the Kladno district, with roots stretching back to 1929, when the land was first placed under private protection at the initiative of Count Oldřich Ferdinand Kinský, owner of the surrounding estate. Official conservation status followed on December 31, 1933, initially covering just 1.64 hectares. As its ecological significance became clearer over the decades, the site was upgraded on June 11, 2007, into a national nature monument spanning 8.48 hectares.

Why is this valley protected?

The primary reason behind the valley's protection is the presence of black false hellebore (Veratrum nigrum), a critically endangered plant species and one of the rarest found anywhere in the region. This sturdy perennial blooms in July and August, growing between 60 and 150 centimeters tall, with large oval leaves and dark brownish-purple flower clusters. Beyond the hellebore, the valley also shelters other notable orchid species, including the red helleborine (Cephalanthera rubra) and the narrow-leaved helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia), as well as the yellow bird's-nest (Hypopitys monotropa) — a chlorophyll-free plant that survives through a symbiotic relationship with fungi rather than photosynthesis.

What does the landscape look like?

Bílichovské údolí occupies a forested area on a steep, northeast-facing slope above the valley of the Zlonický stream, at an elevation between 380 and 420 meters above sea level. The steep terrain and the resulting microclimate have helped preserve a unique plant community that has vanished from many other parts of the region over the past century. The site is open to the public, but because it lies away from established hiking routes, it tends to attract visitors specifically seeking out rare flora rather than casual passersby.

What is the valley's status today?

Bílichovské údolí is now part of the European Natura 2000 network as a designated habitat protection area. Responsibility for its upkeep rests with the Central Bohemia regional office of the Nature and Landscape Protection Agency of the Czech Republic (AOPK ČR), which monitors both the black false hellebore population and the broader health of the valley's forest and meadow ecosystem.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors explore Bílichovské údolí? Yes, the nature monument is open to the public, though it lies off the main tourist trails in the region.

What is the valley's main natural attraction? Above all, the presence of black false hellebore, the critically endangered plant that originally led to the site being placed under protection back in the 1930s.

How large is the protected area? Today the nature monument covers 8.48 hectares, though the original protected zone established in 1933 measured only 1.64 hectares.

Who oversees the site? The Nature and Landscape Protection Agency of the Czech Republic (AOPK ČR), Central Bohemia regional office.