Kotýz

Kotýz is a national nature monument in the municipality of Tmaň, in the southwestern part of the Český kras Protected Landscape Area, roughly 4 km southwest of Beroun and less than 1 km west of the Koněprusy Caves. Covering 31 hectares, nearly 6 of which are natural forest, the site has been protected since 1986 for its exceptional concentration of karst features and rare plant and animal communities.

What can visitors find at Kotýz?

The site is a steep limestone ridge built from Silurian and Devonian rock, rising to an elevation of 340–430 metres above sea level on the border between the villages of Koněprusy and Tmaň. The cliffs are riddled with karst caves, the best known being the Axamitová Gate, one of two natural rock bridges within the reserve; the other is Jelínek's Bridge. The archaeologically significant Děravá Cave has also yielded traces of past human presence.

What traces of earlier settlement survive here?

The area was inhabited from the Palaeolithic through the late Bronze Age and the Hallstatt period, and into the early Middle Ages. On the hill known as Na Hradě, the remains of a fortified hillfort still survive, a reminder that people once made deliberate use of the ridge's natural defensive terrain.

Why is this site ecologically valuable?

Protection here centres on the karst phenomena themselves, along with fragments of thermophilous pine scrub and oak-hornbeam forest with an admixture of dogwood. The warm, dry, rocky habitat supports a rich community of xerothermic invertebrates. A mycological survey recorded 125 species of larger fungi at Kotýz, six of which appear on the Red List of Fungi of the Czech Republic, including critically endangered species such as the bloody milkcap (Lactarius sanguifluus).

How can you explore Kotýz?

A nature trail runs through the reserve, guiding visitors past its geological highlights — the rock bridges and caves — as well as the archaeological remains left by thousands of years of human presence on the hill. It's a compact, easily accessible site that combines geological, archaeological and ecological interest, located just a short walk from the well-known Koněprusy Caves.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Kotýz located? In the cadastral territories of Koněprusy and Tmaň, in the Beroun district, about 4 km southwest of Beroun, within the Český kras Protected Landscape Area.

When was the reserve established? The Kotýz National Nature Monument was declared in 1986.

How large is the protected area? The reserve covers 31 hectares, nearly 6 of which are natural forest.

What are the main sights within the reserve? The Axamitová Gate and Jelínek's Bridge rock formations, the Děravá Cave, and the remains of a hillfort on the Na Hradě hill.

Does Kotýz support any rare species? Yes — it is an important habitat for thermophilous invertebrates and rare fungi, including species listed on the Red List of Fungi of the Czech Republic.