Železniční zářez

Železniční zářez (the "Railway Cutting") is a small nature monument in the Prague district of Hlubočepy, sitting right beside the railway line that connects Prague with Rudná and Beroun. Despite covering only 0.55 hectares, this narrow cutting is one of the region's most valuable sites for studying rocks and fossils from the Devonian period.

How did this cutting come to be?

The cutting was carved out in the 19th century when engineers built the railway embankment through the limestone hills southwest of central Prague. At an elevation between 200 and 230 metres above sea level, workers sliced through layers of rock, exposing a geological profile that would later become one of the classic reference sections in the area. The exposed rock face shows the boundary between limestone of the Chotečské formation and shale of the Srbské formation, both dating back to the Devonian period.

Why does this small site matter to scientists?

The outcrop at Hlubočepy has been known to researchers since the era of Joachim Barrande, the French geologist and palaeontologist whose 19th-century work on Bohemian fossils laid much of the groundwork for understanding Devonian life in Central Europe. The rock layers exposed here preserve numerous fossils of marine fauna and flora from hundreds of millions of years ago, which is why the profile still serves as a reference point for dating and correlating rocks of this age around Prague. The site was granted protected status in 1988 precisely because of this geological and palaeontological value.

What can visitors actually see?

The cutting itself is a narrow, steep-sided railway trench, with its walls displaying clearly stratified layers of limestone and shale. A wooden footbridge spans the tracks above the cutting, forming part of an old footpath that once connected the Barrandov plateau with the older settlements of Hlubočepy and Zlíchov. Long before modern road infrastructure existed, this path let local residents cross safely over the railway. On the western side of the protected area, faint traces of an older trail can still be made out cut into the softer shale rock.

How to get there

The easiest approach is from the Michnovka bus stop, which sits very close to the site. Alternatively, it is roughly a 300-metre walk from the Hlubočepská stop. The cutting lies on the edge of Prokopské údolí, one of Prague's better-known nature areas, making it easy to combine a visit here with a longer walk through the surrounding valleys and limestone hillsides.

Frequently asked questions

Can visitors walk directly into the cutting? The area is a protected nature monument, so visits should be limited to viewing the rock exposure from a safe distance — stepping onto the tracks or collecting rocks and fossils is not appropriate.

What exactly do the exposed layers show? They mark the transition between two Devonian rock formations — Chotečské limestone and Srbské shale — and contain preserved fossils of marine organisms from hundreds of millions of years ago.

Are there other natural attractions nearby? Yes, the site borders Prokopské údolí, a large protected valley with numerous walking trails, limestone outcrops, and other geological sites typical of the Prague "Srbsko" area.

Who is this site best suited for? Mainly geology and palaeontology enthusiasts, along with anyone interested in the history of local infrastructure — though the cutting and its wooden footbridge are also a rewarding stop for visitors who enjoy Prague's lesser-known corners.