Na Skále (national nature monument)

Na Skále is a national nature monument located about one kilometer southeast of the village of Hněvotín, within the cadastral territories of Hněvotín and Žerůvky, near Olomouc in Moravia. Protected since 1977, the area covers 4.56 hectares and sits at an elevation of 242 to 263 meters above sea level.

What is this protected area actually made of?

The site consists of a complex, uneven terrain depression formed on the grounds of former limestone quarries. Historical extraction shaped the irregular relief seen here today, and over time this disturbed ground gave rise to valuable natural habitats. What remains now are fragments of once far more extensive dry grasslands and scrub communities, typical of warm, dry sites on limestone bedrock.

Why does this small reserve matter so much for biodiversity?

Na Skále is best known for its remarkable plant diversity. Botanists have recorded 260 species of vascular plants within its boundaries. The most significant of these is Carniolan thyme (Thymus pulegioides subsp. carniolicus), whose only known location in the entire Czech Republic is right here. Other notable species include Pannonian yarrow, various asters, dwarf sedge, and dwarf cherry, alongside Kitaibel's knapweed.

This botanical richness supports an equally impressive insect community. Over 50 species of butterflies have been documented in the area, making this modest site a meaningful stop on the region's entomological map. The mosaic of dry grassland, scrub, and sun-exposed quarry slopes creates microhabitats favored by both heat-loving plants and insects.

How did an old quarry turn into a nature reserve?

Somewhat paradoxically, it was quarrying itself that helped preserve these valuable habitats. Removing the topsoil and exposing the limestone bedrock created exactly the conditions needed for xerothermic (dry-loving) plants to thrive — species adapted to dry, nutrient-poor, and heavily sun-exposed ground. After extraction ended, the site was neither reforested nor built over, allowing the grasslands and scrub to persist and gradually develop over decades, eventually leading to its legal protection in 1977.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Na Skále located? The nature monument lies about one kilometer southeast of Hněvotín, within the cadastral territories of Hněvotín and Žerůvky, in the Olomouc region of Moravia.

How large is the protected area? Na Skále covers 4.56 hectares, at an elevation ranging from 242 to 263 meters above sea level.

What makes its ecology so distinctive? It hosts the only known Czech population of Carniolan thyme, alongside a rich flora of 260 plant species and over 50 butterfly species.

Since when has the site been protected? The area has held nature reserve status since 1977.

Was the land used for anything before becoming a reserve? Yes, the site occupies former limestone quarries, and that extraction history is what shaped the terrain visible today.