Nature

A large segment of the Beroun district is made up of two protected landscape areas – the Czech Karst and the Křivoklát region. Despite their proximity, they’re remarkably different and unique in their essence. Their link is the Berounka River, a calm and life-giving river that has shaped the character of the local landscape for thousands of years and simultaneously gives its name to the tourist area.

Berounka River

Due to its gentle flow, year-round navigability and the beautiful surrounding nature of the protected landscape areas of the Czech Karst and Křivoklát region, the Berounka is a popular river for paddlers. Its flow is not only appreciated by experienced people, but also by beginners of all ages.

The river canyon in the Beroun district creates breath taking scenery and provides a home for many animals. Whether you choose to float on the river in the Křivoklát or Czech Karst region, you won’t regret it. In some places the river is lively, in others it’s very gentle, but there is something to enjoy everywhere. In addition to the surrounding nature, you’ll also encounter a number of sights along the river, such as the ruins of Týřov Castle, Nižbor Castle, the mythical Tetín or Karlštejn Castle.

If you want to search for the source of the Berounka River, you won’t succeed. The river originates from the confluence of the Mže and Radbuza rivers in the West Bohemian town of Plzeň (Pilsen) and with its length of 137 kilometres, it’s one of the shortest rivers in Bohemia. It ends in Lahovice near Prague, where it flows into the Vltava.

The river was originally called Mže, Kosmas calls it Msa or Misa in his chronicle. The name Berounka was given to it by the Pilsen chronicler Jan Tanner, and the most important contribution to the establishment and spread of the name Berounka was the large map of Bohemia by Jan Krystof Müller in 1720.

The Czech writer Ota Pavel (1930-1973) was a well-known lover of the Berounka River, and as a child he used to go with his parents and brothers to a summer apartment in the vicinity of Branov. He often reflected the river in his work and described the beauty of the surrounding nature to his readers. The writer is still commemorated in Branov by his memorial hall, which is located in the ferryman’s house.

The Czech Karst protected landscape area

The warm and hospitable limestone area of the Czech Karst is the most important karst area in Bohemia. The extraordinary diversity of plants and animals in the area is the result of the interaction between man and nature. People have influenced local nature since prehistoric times and continue to do so today. By farming small fields and forests, grazing cattle, mowing meadows, quarrying stone and building their settlements for thousands of years, they have unwittingly increased the unique diversity of the local landscape.

The protected landscape area is shaped by large areas of rock prairie communities, woodland steppes and deciduous forests, and is an aesthetic landscape full of life. The most biologically valuable are the warm-loving oak-hornbeam and oak forests. The ubiquitous limestone has enabled the formation of karst relief, which is why the area contains, for example, karst ravines, canyon-like valleys, karst springs, small submerged streams and caves.

The Czech Karst is also a unique area in the world in terms of geology, the deposition of the Silurian and Devonian strata and research into the development of life in these periods of the country’s history. The extraordinary geological and palaeontological significance is evidenced by many natural and artificial outcrops of primordial strata.

The Czech Karst protected landscape area was declared in 1972. The area has 130 km² and there are 21 small-area specially protected areas, 12 monumental trees and 1 no-interference area. Some of the protected areas are also included in the European Natura 2000 network.

The limestone landscape has been attracting visitors for over a century, as evidenced by one of the oldest marked trails through Karlštejn and Svatý Jan pod Skalou. The extremely dense network of hiking trails will delight all hikers, extinct quarries are gradually being absorbed by nature and attract adventurers. The Berounka River’s meandering valley pleases the eye of romantics from local viewpoints.

The Křivoklát protected landscape area

The Křivoklát protected landscape area is just a few kilometres from Prague, yet it’s not only one of the most interesting landscapes in the Czech Republic but in the whole of Europe. In 1977, UNESCO also included it among the biosphere reserves under the Man and the Biosphere programme. A year later, Křivoklátsko received the status of a protected landscape area with an area of 628 km².

Thanks to its close proximity to Prague, in the past, Czech rulers and nobility used to hunt here. Due to this, the local forests were never heavily logged and the forests have remained remarkably intact to this day.

The character of the Křivoklát protected landscape area is significantly determined by the Berounka River. It’s been making its way through the deep valleys for thousands of years, creating dramatic canyons, meanders and river terraces. Over sixty percent of the area is covered by forests, which exceeds the average in the Czech Republic significantly. The forests are mostly deciduous or mixed.

The Křivoklát region provides a home for many of the animal world’s endangered species. Specifically, there are 20 critically endangered, 37 highly endangered and 44 endangered species living here. At the same time, the entire area is one of the most outstanding bird areas in Europe. You can observe 120 bird species that breed here and 35 bird species on the flyway.

The hilly relief attracts visitors from all over the country. The Skryje Lakes, the ruins of Týřov Castle, and Křivoklát Castle are among the most popular destinations. In summer and autumn, avid mushroom pickers head to the Křivoklát forests, boaters float on the Berounka River, and on the dense network of cycle paths there is a paradise for those who prefer to explore the countryside from a bicycle saddle.