Rybníček u Hořan

Rybníček u Hořan is a small nature reserve in the Central Bohemian Region, within the cadastral area of the village of Hořany near Kutná Hora. Despite covering just 2.01 hectares, it protects something found nowhere else in the country — the only known naturally occurring population of the critically endangered opposite-leaved pondweed (Groenlandia densa) in the Czech Republic.

What kind of reserve is this?

The site received national natural monument status back in the mid-1980s, when the District National Committee of Kutná Hora issued its protective decision on 10 October 1985, effective from 1 December of that year. The protection was later reaffirmed by Ministry of Environment Decree No. 395/1992 Coll., which took effect on 13 August 1992. The area has remained under continuous oversight ever since, given how sensitive its protected species is to any disturbance of the surrounding habitat.

Why is the pond itself so small?

The pond at the heart of the reserve covers only 804 square metres — roughly one-twelfth of the entire protected area. The remaining land consists of a valley fed by a strong spring, along with the surrounding forest vegetation that forms a natural buffer around the water. The pond is supplied by the Hořanský stream, which rises several hundred metres away and carries mineral-rich water — precisely the kind of chemical conditions that allow this rare pondweed to thrive.

What threatens the site, and how is it protected?

Opposite-leaved pondweed is particularly sensitive to water turbidity and fluctuations in water level. Even a brief influx of contaminated runoff after heavy rain could irreversibly damage the country's only known population of this plant. To guard against this, a dry polder was built at the southern edge of the protected area, designed to intercept and buffer sudden runoff during intense rainfall before it can reach the pond itself. This solution allows the valley to retain its natural character while still actively safeguarding the species.

What should visitors know before coming?

The reserve lies close to Kutná Hora, a town best known for its UNESCO-listed historic centre, which makes Rybníček u Hořan a worthwhile addition to an itinerary for anyone interested in the region's natural side as well as its monuments. Because the ecosystem here is so delicate, visitors should stick to marked paths and avoid entering the water or disturbing the aquatic vegetation directly.

Frequently asked questions

What can you see at Rybníček u Hořan? A small, picturesque spring-fed pond set within a wooded valley — and, most notably, the only naturally occurring stand of opposite-leaved pondweed in the entire Czech Republic.

Why is this site protected? Because it hosts the only known natural population of a critically endangered aquatic plant in the country, one that depends on very stable water conditions.

How large is the reserve? The whole protected area covers 2.01 hectares, of which the pond itself makes up just 804 m².

Where exactly is it located? In the cadastral territory of the village of Hořany, near Kutná Hora, in the Central Bohemian Region.