Zvěřinov

Zvěřinov is a flooded granite quarry straddling the border between the municipality of Leštinka and the town of Skuteč, in the Chrudim district of the Pardubice Region in the Czech Republic. What used to be a working stone quarry has become a large water-filled pit that, in recent years, turned into an unusual local swimming spot near Skuteč.

Where does the name Zvěřinov come from?

The quarry takes its name from its original owner, Antonín Zvěřina. Granite extraction here began in 1870, and from 1903 onward operations became permanent and organized. Workers first used the wall method of extraction before switching to the pit method, digging progressively deeper rather than sideways. Mining continued until it was halted in 1970.

What kind of stone was quarried at Zvěřinov?

Three varieties of granite were extracted from the site — pink, black, and light-coloured. The stone was used mainly to produce paving setts, which from this part of the Czech Republic supplied roads and squares across the region.

How did the water body form?

Once extraction stopped in 1970, the pit began filling with water on its own. The cause was groundwater inflow: the quarry floor lay below the level of the nearby Žejbro stream, so water seeped in with little resistance. The result is a lake roughly 200 by 90 metres across, with the bottom lying about 30 metres beneath the surface. The former quarry site covers around 8 hectares in total, making Zvěřinov one of the larger quarries in the Skuteč area.

Can you swim at Zvěřinov?

For years the flooded quarry served as a popular, if informal, swimming hole — its clear, deep water drew residents of Skuteč and the surrounding area looking to cool off in summer. That changed in 2023, when the company SATES ČECHY s.r.o. resumed granite extraction at the site. Since then, access to the quarry has been prohibited, and the former swimming spot has lost its recreational role.

Where exactly is Zvěřinov located?

The quarry lies on the border between the town of Skuteč and the municipality of Leštinka, in the Chrudim district, Pardubice Region, Czech Republic. Its approximate coordinates are 49.8435° N, 15.9699° E.

Frequently asked questions

Is Zvěřinov a natural lake or a quarry? It's a flooded former granite quarry. The water body formed naturally after mining stopped in 1970, when the pit filled up with groundwater.

Can you visit Zvěřinov today? No. Since granite mining resumed in 2023 under SATES ČECHY s.r.o., access to the site has been prohibited.

How large is the water body? The surface measures roughly 200 by 90 metres, with a depth of around 30 metres. The whole former quarry site covers about 8 hectares.

What stone was mined at Zvěřinov? Three varieties of granite — pink, black, and light-coloured — used mainly for paving setts.

Where does the name Zvěřinov come from? From Antonín Zvěřina, the quarry's original owner.