Svatá Anna

Svatá Anna is a basalt hill in the Czech Paradise (Český ráj) region, straddling the cadastral boundary between the villages of Ostružno and Dolní Lochov, roughly 5 km northwest of Jičín. Rising to 358 m above sea level, the hill has been protected as a natural monument since 1990, covering an area of 3.83 hectares.

Why is the site protected?

The protection target is an oak-hornbeam forest growing on the basalt dome, together with the rare warmth-loving flora it supports. The hill consists of Neogene basaltoid volcanic rock, dominated by volcanic breccia. Thanks to the mineral-rich bedrock, thermophilic plant communities thrive here, including species such as adder's-tongue fern and soapwort. To the west, the site is sheltered by the elevations of Svatá Anna and Houser, and the whole area forms part of a broader ecologically valuable landscape surrounding the Ostružno ponds (Ostruženské rybníky).

The chapel on the summit

A baroque chapel with a rotunda floor plan stands at the top of the hill, built around 1670 at the behest of František Josef Šlik. The architect is believed to have been Jean Baptiste Mathey. The building still serves as a pilgrimage site today and gives the hill the name by which it is known throughout the region.

What can visitors see on site?

Svatá Anna is a popular hiking destination within the Czech Paradise region. Beyond the chapel itself, surrounded by mixed forest, the hill offers the kind of scenic outlook typical of volcanic elevations in this area, as well as a chance to observe the rare thermophilic vegetation that grows on its basalt substrate. The site connects to a network of trails linking other attractions of the Czech Paradise, including the Ostružno ponds.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Svatá Anna located? The hill lies in the Czech Paradise region, on the cadastral boundary between Ostružno and Dolní Lochov, about 5 km northwest of Jičín.

Since when has the area been protected? The natural monument was declared in 1990 and covers 3.83 hectares.

What is being protected? An oak-hornbeam forest on a basalt hill, along with rare thermophilic flora that grows thanks to the mineral-rich volcanic bedrock.

Where does the hill's name come from? The name comes from the baroque Chapel of St. Anne, built at the summit around 1670 at the initiative of František Josef Šlik.

Can the hill be reached on foot? Yes, it is a popular hiking destination near Jičín and forms part of a trail that also leads to the Ostružno ponds.