About this place
Miocenní sladkovodní vápence (Miocene Freshwater Limestones) is a protected geological nature monument on the northern edge of the village of Tuchořice, in the Louny district of the Ústí nad Labem region in the Czech Republic. The protected area covers 1.75 hectares and centers on the wall of a former quarry roughly 300 meters long, 40 to 60 meters wide, and up to 25 meters high.
What can you see at this site?
The heart of the monument is an exposed geological profile of freshwater limestone layers formed during the lower Miocene, around 22 million years ago. Back then, highly mineralized waters deposited travertine, gradually building up rock layers that today form the only extensive profile of lower Miocene freshwater limestone deposits found anywhere in the Czech Republic. The quarry wall lays bare these layers across a wide surface, making the site an important reference point for geologists studying Tertiary continental deposits in Central Europe.
Why is this place protected?
The area was officially protected on December 2, 1983. The reasoning behind the protection is to preserve a geological profile containing Tertiary (Miocene) carbonate deposits of significant paleontological value, along with a rare plant species — autumn dwarf gentian (Gentianella amarella) — that grows on the site.
What fossils have been found here?
The Miocene limestones hold a rich mollusk fauna, with numerous fossilized shells of both terrestrial and aquatic snails. Alongside them, the layers preserve skeletal remains of mammals and, more rarely, plant remains including fruits and seeds. This diversity gives the site considerable scientific value, allowing researchers to reconstruct the environmental conditions and the fauna and flora that existed here more than 20 million years ago.
Why is this site worth visiting?
For geology and paleontology enthusiasts, this is a rare chance to see firsthand a rock profile unlike any other in the Czech Republic. The exposed wall of the former quarry lets visitors trace successive sediment layers and picture a landscape shaped millions of years ago by mineral springs that built up travertine formations. The site also draws interest from botanists thanks to the rare vegetation associated with the limestone outcrops.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly is Miocenní sladkovodní vápence located? On the northern edge of the village of Tuchořice, in the Louny district of the Ústí nad Labem region.
How large is the protected area? The nature monument covers 1.75 hectares, and the former quarry wall stretches roughly 300 meters.
Since when has the area been protected? Protected status was granted on December 2, 1983.
What makes this site unique? It is the only extensive profile of lower Miocene freshwater limestone deposits in the Czech Republic, containing a rich fauna of fossilized mollusks and mammal remains.
What plants grow at the site? The rare autumn dwarf gentian (Gentianella amarella) grows here.
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