Brdy Protected Landscape Area

Brdy Protected Landscape Area is one of the wildest and least developed corners of central Bohemia, and its unusual history is exactly why. The region lies in the Czech Republic, southwest of Prague, not far from towns such as Nepomuk.

Why was Brdy protected so late?

Unlike most Czech nature reserves, Brdy owes its pristine state to decades of military closure rather than early conservation efforts. In 1926, the Czechoslovak government established a large military training area covering roughly 260 square kilometers in the central part of the Brdy hills. For nearly ninety years the land was off-limits to civilians, which inadvertently shielded it from intensive forestry, construction, and mass tourism. Only after the training ground was decommissioned could ecologists properly assess the area's natural value. The Nature and Landscape Protection Agency of the Czech Republic began preparing groundwork for a protected landscape area in 2011, and Brdy Protected Landscape Area was officially declared on January 1, 2016 — the 26th such area in the Czech Republic and, so far, the last one created entirely from scratch.

What does the landscape look like?

The protected area covers about 345 square kilometers, with elevations ranging from 403 to 865 meters above sea level. Its highest point is the peak of Tok, visible from many surrounding ridges. The terrain is dominated by extensive forest tracts interspersed with meadows, wetlands, and heathlands, while dozens of small streams cut through the hills, sustaining a damp, varied microclimate.

A particular geological highlight is the presence of so-called stone seas and boulder fields — wide expanses of rock debris formed by the weathering of hard bedrock, especially visible on the slopes of the higher summits. The area also contains notable paleontological sites and numerous rock outcrops, of real interest to geologists and anyone drawn to the region's inanimate natural heritage.

How is Brdy's nature protected?

Within the protected landscape area, five nature reserves and three natural monuments safeguard the most valuable fragments of the local ecosystems, including old-growth forest stands, peat bogs, and undisturbed watercourses. In addition, eighteen Natura 2000 sites lie within Brdy's boundaries, underlining the region's importance for biodiversity conservation at a European scale. Decades of restricted access allowed habitats that have largely disappeared elsewhere in central Bohemia to survive here in a far less altered state.

Frequently asked questions

Is Brdy open to visitors? Yes. Since the military training area was closed and the protected landscape area established, the region has gradually opened up to tourism, though some sections remain restricted due to leftover military infrastructure and ongoing nature protection measures.

What should visitors prioritize when exploring Brdy? The summit of Tok and the surrounding stone fields make a good starting point — they capture the character of this rocky, forested landscape better than almost anywhere else in the area.

Why does Brdy have such an unusual conservation history? The area spent nearly nine decades as a closed military zone before becoming a protected landscape area in 2016, which is what allowed its ecosystems to remain unusually undisturbed compared to other Czech reserves.

How large is Brdy Protected Landscape Area? It covers approximately 345 square kilometers, with elevations ranging from 403 to 865 meters above sea level.