Koněprusy Caves

They were discovered in 1950, when workers from the quarry blasted and a cave opening appeared. In their spare time, they penetrated deeper into the cave, until they discovered several stalactite halls and a deep chimney-shaped abyss. Three days after the announcement of the find, geologist Jiří Kukla launched himself into the abyss, who discovered a small lake with human footprints at a depth of 27 m. Two of the three cave floors have been open to the public since 1959. They are also one of the longest cave systems in Bohemia.

The Koněprusy caves were created by rainwater, which penetrated the chimneys and gradually dissolved the limestone rock, creating karst phenomena. A special feature here are the so-called Koněprusy roses, which contain opal.

There was a secret money-killing workshop in a part called the Mint. In the Middle Ages, coins made of copper sheet and silver amalgam were counterfeited here, which the counterfeiters then claimed as Hussite pennies with the emblem of the Czech lion.

Author: Marie Bukovinská