Ejpovické útesy

Ejpovické útesy is a small natural monument in the Czech Republic, tucked into the valley of the Klabavka stream on the boundary between the cadastral areas of Dýšina (Plzeň-město district) and Ejpovice (Rokycany district), less than a kilometre north of Ejpovice and close to the settlement of Nová Huť. The protected area covers barely 1.93 hectares, yet its scientific importance far outweighs its modest size.

What can you find at Ejpovické útesy?

At the heart of the reserve lies a flooded former limestone quarry beside the Ejpovice water reservoir. It is here, in rock faces exposing Lower Ordovician strata, that geologists identified a formation of exceptional significance for earth science. The site preserves fossils of organisms that once lived in the wave-swept coastal zone hundreds of millions of years ago, still resting exactly where they originally lived, undisturbed by currents or landslides.

Why is this place so exceptional?

That undisturbed, in-place preservation is what makes Ejpovické útesy globally unique. It is recognised as the world's oldest known locality with autochthonous Lower Ordovician wave-zone fauna preserved in its original position. By comparison, the next-oldest occurrence of this kind, found in Canada, is roughly 50 million years younger. This means the rock exposed in this small quarry near Plzeň offers researchers a rare window onto some of the earliest surviving evidence of coastal life on Earth.

When was the reserve established and what does it protect?

The area received legal protection in 1993 precisely because of these unique geological and palaeontological values. Today, Ejpovické útesy ranks among the more important geological sites in the Czech Republic, documented and monitored by nature-conservation authorities. Because the former quarry is flooded, part of the exposed rock lies beneath the water surface, which has also helped shield it from erosion and disturbance over the decades.

How can you reach Ejpovické útesy?

The reserve sits in a quiet, partly wooded stretch of the Klabavka valley, close to popular hiking and cycling routes in the Rokycansko region. The surrounding area holds other traces of past mining activity, including the so-called Ejpovické tunnels, making this corner of the Plzeň region appealing to visitors who combine hiking with an interest in geology and the region's mining history.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ejpovické útesy? It is a small natural monument in the Klabavka valley, centred on a flooded former limestone quarry with exposed Lower Ordovician rock.

Why is the site protected? Because it holds the world's oldest known locality with autochthonous, undisturbed wave-zone fauna from several hundred million years ago.

When was the protected area established? The reserve was designated in 1993.

How large is the protected area? It covers approximately 1.93 hectares.

Where exactly is Ejpovické útesy located? On the boundary between the Dýšina and Ejpovice cadastral areas, about one kilometre north of Ejpovice and near the settlement of Nová Huť in the Plzeň region.