Malý Kosíř

Malý Kosíř is a modest but ecologically rich hill on the Haná plain, forming the easternmost spur of the Zábřeh Highlands in the Olomouc district of the Czech Republic. It sits right next to its far more famous neighbor, Velký Kosíř, and rises above the villages of Slatinice, Slatinky, Třebčín and nearby Lípy.

How tall is Malý Kosíř and what is it made of?

The summit reaches roughly 317 metres above sea level. Geologically it belongs to the Zábřeh Highlands, and its slopes are built from Carboniferous "Kosíř-type" sandstones and clay shales that outcrop mainly on the upper parts of the hill; further east they are covered by younger Tertiary deposits. Reaching the top requires no special gear or preparation - most visitors simply walk up from Slatinice.

Why is the hillside protected as a nature reserve?

The southern and southeastern slopes and foothills of Malý Kosíř form a nature reserve of European importance. It safeguards dry, sun-baked grasslands together with small pools left behind by former quarries. Botanists have recorded around 230 plant species here, including rare orchids and the endemic Moravian bellflower, as well as uncommon shrubs such as hawthorn and blackthorn. Roughly 80 butterfly species and several protected beetles live on the hill, while the flooded old quarry pits shelter newts, frogs and aquatic insects. Owls nest in the scrub, small insectivorous mammals forage nearby, and badgers occasionally pass through. The reserve is part of the larger Velký Kosíř Nature Park.

What can visitors find at the very top?

A small wooden gazebo-style chapel dedicated to St Anthony of Padua, built in 2018, stands on the summit next to a large cross and a few benches for resting. Dense vegetation limits the view directly from the top, so for wider panoramas toward the Morava river valley and the first foothills of the Low Jeseníky range, it's better to look out from the open sections of the slope rather than the summit itself.

Where does the hill's pilgrimage history come from?

The story goes back to 1944, when the priest Antonín Šuránek began promoting devotion to St Anthony on the hill and, together with Olomouc archbishop Leopold Prečan, planned to turn it into a pilgrimage site on the scale of Svatý Kopeček near Olomouc. A cross honouring the saint went up that same year. The project stalled in 1952, when the communist authorities forced Šuránek out of his teaching post at the seminary - the 2018 chapel is, in a sense, a belated echo of those unfinished plans.

Frequently asked questions

How high is Malý Kosíř? About 317 metres above sea level.

Is it the same peak as Velký Kosíř? No - Malý Kosíř is a separate, lower summit that forms the eastern spur of Velký Kosíř.

How hard is the climb? Very easy; no special equipment is needed, and most people start from Slatinice.

What's worth seeing in the reserve? Dry grasslands with rare orchids and the Moravian bellflower, flooded former quarries, and a rich population of butterflies and beetles.

Is there anything to see on the summit? Yes - a small 2018 chapel-gazebo dedicated to St Anthony of Padua and a large cross recalling the unfinished 1940s pilgrimage plans.