Teletínský lom

Teletínský lom is a small but geologically remarkable nature monument in the Benešov district, near the village of Teletín and not far from the Slapy reservoir, within the boundaries of the Central Bohemia Nature Park. It is a flooded, abandoned granite quarry, its steep, almost vertical rock walls enclosing a small yet surprisingly deep pool of water.

What does the quarry look like?

The pit is modest in size for a quarry — roughly twelve metres wide and twenty metres long — while the flooded section is estimated to reach a depth of up to fifteen metres. Steep, near-vertical rock faces drop straight into the water, giving the site a striking, almost dramatic character despite its small footprint.

Why is this site protected?

The quarry itself is not the reason for protection — it is the geological exposure it created. Its walls reveal a zone of magmatic breccias, rocks formed through intense tectonic and magmatic processes, located precisely at the contact between two significant geological units: the Central Bohemian Pluton and the Jílové Formation. The quarry sits at the north-western edge of the Central Bohemian Pluton, less than half a kilometre from its contact with a narrow band of Proterozoic metasediments. For geologists, this makes the site scientifically valuable, offering a rare, directly accessible view of where two distinct rock units meet.

A history of granite extraction

The quarry did not appear by chance — it was actively worked from 1934 as one of several sources of high-quality granite blocks in the region. Stone from here went into the construction of water-management structures and bridges, a testament to its durability and suitability for demanding engineering projects. A particularly notable chapter in its history began in 1941, when material extracted at Teletín was used to build the weir at Štěchovice. The granite was transported from the quarry to the construction site by an aerial cableway — a technical solution that, at the time, made it possible to move heavy stone blocks efficiently over the distance between the pit and the building site.

What to know before visiting

Teletínský lom will appeal above all to visitors interested in geology and the industrial history of the Central Bohemian region. Its location near the Slapy reservoir means it can easily be combined with a trip around the dam and lake area. Because it holds protected-area status and its steep rock walls drop directly into the water, a visit calls for caution — this is a place for observation and photography rather than swimming or climbing.

Frequently asked questions

What is Teletínský lom? It is a former, now flooded granite quarry in the Benešov district, protected today as a nature monument for its geological value.

Why was the quarry given protected status? Because its walls expose a zone of magmatic breccias at the contact between the Central Bohemian Pluton and the Jílové Formation — a rarely accessible view of where two geological units meet.

What was the granite extracted here used for? From 1934 for water-management structures and bridges, and from 1941 — transported by aerial cableway — for building the weir at Štěchovice.

How big is the quarry? About 12 metres wide, 20 metres long, with the flooded section reaching up to 15 metres deep.

Is it possible to swim or climb there? It is not recommended — the steep rock walls dropping into the water are hazardous, and the site is protected for nature conservation.