Zigartický kopec

Zigartický kopec is a modest 556-metre hill in the Odra Highlands (Oderské vrchy), part of the Low Jeseník range (Nízký Jeseník), in the Olomouc District of the Olomouc Region in Czechia. It rises above the valley of the Odra river and the Plazský stream, and its location inside the Libavá military training area (Vojenský újezd Libavá) makes it one of the least accessible hills in the region.

Where exactly is Zigartický kopec?

The hill sits in the north-eastern part of the Low Jeseník range, within the former military municipality of Libavá, near the point where the Plazský stream flows into the Odra. Its summit lies at roughly 49.686°N, 17.570°E. The hill takes its name from the nearby, long-vanished village of Zigartice (German: Siegertsau), one of many settlements cleared and dissolved after the military training area was established.

Where does the name Zigartický kopec come from?

The village of Zigartice is first recorded in writing as early as 1394, under the name "Sigarthau," and appears again in a 1408 deed as part of the Potštát estate. Like most settlements later absorbed into the Libavá training area, it had a predominantly German population, which was expelled in 1946. The village was formally dissolved in 1950, and by the mid-1960s its buildings had disappeared from the landscape entirely. Interestingly, old German cadastral maps also label the hill itself "Bleis," after the nearby Bleismühle mill on the Plazský stream — itself long gone, though a stone cross that once stood there was relocated to the church in Libavá.

Can you visit Zigartický kopec? The Libavá military training area

Like the neighbouring Radeška and the rest of the Vojenský újezd Libavá, the hill lies within an active military training ground that is closed to the public on ordinary days. Outside a handful of villages open to unrestricted entry, leaving marked roads and trails without permission from the training area's administration is prohibited, and breaking that rule is treated as an offence under the Czech law on the defence of the Republic — carrying a fine of up to 100,000 CZK. Once a year, usually on 1 May, the area opens to visitors for the "Bílý kámen" event, effectively the only regular chance to legally get close to the summit.

What else can be found nearby?

Researchers documenting the training area's history have found traces of pre-resettlement human activity around Zigartický kopec: the remains of an exploratory mine adit near the summit, stone bridges over the stream that once ran through the village, and the foundations of the old mill. Together they are reminders that a landscape now associated almost entirely with the military and untouched nature was, only a century ago, home to an ordinary farming community.

Is it worth planning a trip here?

Given its closed-area status, Zigartický kopec is not a realistic destination for a typical hiking trip. The one genuine opportunity to see it is the annual "Bílý kámen" opening of the training area — a good moment to combine a visit with exploring other traces of vanished villages in this part of the Low Jeseník range.

Frequently asked questions

How high is Zigartický kopec? About 556 metres above sea level.

Where is the hill located? In the Odra Highlands (part of the Low Jeseník range), Olomouc Region, inside the Libavá military training area (Vojenský újezd Libavá).

Where does the hill's name come from? From the nearby, now-vanished village of Zigartice (German: Siegertsau), whose population was expelled after 1946 and which was formally dissolved in 1950.

Can you normally hike to the summit? No — the area is closed to the public on ordinary days. The exception is the annual opening of the training area, usually on 1 May, during the "Bílý kámen" event.

What penalty applies for entering the training area illegally? Breaking the access ban can be treated as an offence under the Czech law on the defence of the Republic, punishable by a fine of up to 100,000 CZK.