Konieprusie Caves in Central Bohemia. Beautiful caves with Homo sapiens

Inside the picturesque hill with the graceful name Golden Horse in Central Bohemia, there are exceptionally beautiful Konieprusy Caves. They are located 7 km from the city of Beroun and 30 km from Prague, in the protected area of the Czech Karst. It is the largest known underground system in the Czech Republic. Make no mistake, however, this is a historical land of the Czech Republic, not the entire Czech Republic. In any case, they are powerful, and although only a 620-meter long fragment has been made available for viewing, it is enough to admire them and enjoy the natural decoration in the form of calcite infiltrates.

History of Konieprusy Caves

Koněprusy caves were formed in limestone rocks, shaped 400 million years ago, during the Devonian period. The caves were discovered by employees of a nearby quarry in 1950. They systematically learned about subsequent fragments of underground corridors. As a result of the research, animal remains were discovered in the cave. Currently, the most interesting inhabitants of the cave system are bats, small mammals moving by echolocation and hibernating in winter. But it is also interesting that in the Middle Ages there was a secret mint in which silver Hussite pennies with the image of a Czech lion were counterfeited. The facility for tourist sightseeing was opened in 1959.

Visiting the Koniepruskie Caves

The Koněprusy Caves are open to guided tours for a fee. Going deep underground, you will get to know the most extensive karst system of the region, which is about 2 km long. It consists of a complex of rooms and corridors on three floors. The sightseeing route is 620 meters long. Includes 70m difference in height and 483 steps. The tour takes about 1 hour.

On the route, you will be delighted by the wealth and enormity of infiltrations, and the most spectacular are the so-called Organs. Also interesting is the largest hall called the House of Powder, where bones of prehistoric animals and the original woman were found. You will definitely be delighted by all kinds of calcite ornaments, stalactites hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites growing from the ground. And also stalagnates, connecting the ceiling with the bottom as columns.

Koněprusy Roses

The most valuable and oldest infiltrations in the Koněprusy Caves are the so-called Koněprusy Roses. It was created when the Czech Republic had a tropical climate. Maybe they do not make such an impression due to their size, but they act on the imagination with their age. And imagine that you are crossing these dark corridors only with a torch in your hand. There is such a possibility, and I have chills at the very thought.

Museum in Koneprusy. The oldest European in the Konieprusy Caves!

About 400 meters from the entrance to the cave there is a parking lot and a small museum about the region and the underground. Here you will learn an amazing curiosity. A sensational discovery in the caves were human bones belonging to the species Homo sapiens, from about 13,000 years ago. The bones belonged to an approximately 46-year-old woman, buried in one of the chimneys. Most likely, her grave was much higher, and the bones fell to the bottom. She is considered to be the first known European woman!

Koněprusy caves - practical information

Indoor temperature: 7.5 - 9°C
Relative humidity: 96 - 100%
Sightseeing time: 1 hour
Opening hours: April to October, entry times vary by month
Tickets: 220 Czech crowns, you can buy tickets online
Parking: on site
There is also a museum (within the same ticket) and toilets at the ticket offices

Golden Horse Hill and Quarry

Just after leaving the cave, the path leads to the top of the Golden Horse hill, with a height of 475.3 m above sea level. There is a beautiful view of all four sides of the world, and a few hundred meters further by the wooden barriers you can take a look at the spectacularly presented quarry. Because the hill was plowed by man to extract rock wealth. There is a didactic path that you can take for a little trekking.

Legend of the hill

An interesting legend is associated with this place, namely a greedy noblewoman who once lived here, who wanted to snatch their treasure from the rocks. Unfortunately, the treasure was guarded by a ghost and could only be offered to someone with golden hair and an iron hand. So the noblewoman ordered her  servants to make a wig and an iron glove and set out on a treasure hunt. She rode on horseback in the middle of the rock, and so she disappeared. She was gone long enough. The maid and her fiancé decided to go to her aid and search, so they did. Soon they found the noblewoman, unfortunately she was sitting rigidly on her horse among the rocks, because the evil, or rather angry spirit turned her into gold. On the other hand, he gave the couple a treasure, because the girl was golden-haired, and the boy was so strong that he had an iron hand.

You can also visit the famous Karlstejn Castle in the area.

Other beautiful caves in Europe

You will also love the most beautiful caves in Poland, i.e. Paradise and the Bear. I also recommend you the very Slovenian Postojna Jama and the Croatian Baredine in Istria. My favorite place in Europe so far is Drach, or Dragon Caves in Mallorca. Do you know any other beauties?

Accommodations in and around Beroun

While exploring the area, we slept in the beautifully located Farm Krkavčí Hora Nižbor. It is a place for horse lovers, but of course not only. Away from civilization, among fields and meadows. There is a stable with horses outside the accommodation. It is a former farmhouse, beautifully revitalized. The guest rooms are located in a new building, the rooms are modestly furnished, but they are very clean, spacious and offer what you need, i.e. a private bathroom and a wide bed. There are also breakfasts and a fully equipped kitchen where you can even cook lunches. The place is worth recommending.

Here you will find a wide selection of accommodations. By booking your stay on Booking.com through our link, you support the development of our blog — and we thank you in advance! It helps us reach many interesting places that we later love to show you and share our experiences and information with you.

Rent a car

Exploring becomes much easier when you have your own means of transport. You don’t have to worry about buses or taxis, and you can plan each day your way. The search box below will help you find the right car – right where your journey begins.

What's worth seeing in the area?

If you have already visited this attraction, it is also worth visiting several other interesting ones places nearby. Within a radius of 100 kilometers you will find many interesting places places that can diversify your stay in this part of Poland.

• Czech Karst, distance: 0.1  km
• Beroun, distance: 5.4  km
• Karlstejn Castle, distance: 9  km
• Hradčany in Prague, distance: 30.8  km
• Prague, distance: 31.7  km
• Rock city in the Czech Republic. Kokorinsko, distance: 62.9  km
• Kladruby, distance: 81  km
• Kolin, distance: 82.1  km
• Central Bohemia, distance: 85.7  km
• Kutna Hora, distance: 85.7  km