Brno

Brno is a 718-metre hill in the Křivoklátská vrchovina (Křivoklát Highlands) uplands, sitting within the cadastral territory of the village of Sklená Huť in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic. It ranks as the second-highest summit of the Radeč ridge, just 3 kilometres from the nearest settlement.

Why is it called Brno?

The hill's name has nothing to do with the Moravian metropolis of the same name. During the Czech National Revival in the 19th century, it became common practice to name local hills and peaks after the country's largest cities as a way of celebrating national identity. That's how a modest summit in western Bohemia ended up sharing its name with the Czech Republic's second-largest city — a coincidence that regularly confuses travellers searching for information online.

What's on top?

The summit is crowned by a telecommunications mast, visible from a considerable distance and a useful landmark for hikers navigating the surrounding ridges. Long before that, in the early medieval period, a Slavic hillfort stood on this very spot — a reminder that the location held strategic value more than a thousand years ago, even if little physical trace of the fortification survives today. The hill itself is built of hard quartzite rock, which explains the bare scree fields exposed on its steeper flanks.

What does the landscape look like?

Spruce forest covers most of the slopes, mixed here and there with birch stands. The steepest sections, facing predominantly north, are marked by exposed rock rubble left behind by the weathering of the quartzite bedrock. The hill lies within the Berounka river's drainage basin, feeding the network of streams that flow down through the surrounding valleys.

How do you get to the summit?

A waymarked green hiking trail crosses the summit, running from the Berounka river valley through the villages of Stupno and Sklená Huť before continuing toward the Radeč-východ trail junction. It's a convenient route for hikers who want to combine several peaks of the Radeč ridge into a single longer day out. Sklená Huť itself — a small village belonging to the Přívětice municipality in the Rokycany district — makes a natural starting point, lying roughly 3 km west of the summit.

When is the best time to visit?

Spring and summer are the most rewarding seasons for the Křivoklátská vrchovina region: trails are dry and the spruce forest offers welcome shade on the climb. Autumn adds colour to the mixed woodlands lower in the valleys, though the summit of Brno itself stays dominated by evergreen green year-round. In winter, extra caution is needed on the rocky, steep sections of the northern slopes.

Why is it worth a visit?

Brno isn't a peak that draws crowds — it's a destination for hikers who enjoy quiet, low-key routes through the Křivoklátská vrchovina. The combination of history (the former hillfort), geology (the quartzite outcrops) and practical usefulness as a landmark (the telecom mast) makes it a worthwhile stop for anyone planning a longer walk along the Radeč ridge.

Frequently asked questions

Is Brno near Sklená Huť the same as the city of Brno in Moravia? No. This is a small hill in western Bohemia that was given the name in the 19th century in honour of the large Moravian city — the two share nothing but a name.

How high is the Brno summit? 718 metres above sea level, making it the second-highest point on the Radeč ridge in the Křivoklátská vrchovina.

Is there anything to see at the top? Yes — a telecommunications mast visible from far away, and the site of a former early Slavic hillfort, though little of the fortification remains today.

What's the best way to reach the summit? The easiest approach is via the green-marked hiking trail that runs from the Berounka valley through Stupno and Sklená Huť toward the Radeč-východ junction.