Have you ever wondered about the stories hidden within the rocks? Today, you’re standing in front of one such story, a natural monument called Pecka. This small hill, nestled near the former railway station of Prague-Bubeneč, just outside the Royal Game Preserve, holds secrets from an age long gone.
Pecka was declared a protected area in 1988, a testament to the geological wonders it holds. Its rocky profile is a unique glimpse into the early development of the classic Prague Paleozoic Basin, specifically the Ordovician period. Here, you can see the clear transition from the Skalecké quartzites to the Dobrotivské shales – a rare and important geological feature.
Imagine the land as it was millions of years ago, a vast ocean teeming with life. The sediments of that ancient sea compressed and hardened, giving rise to the formations we see today. But Pecka is more than just rocks and fossils. Look closer and you’ll find traces of an ancient forest that once thrived on this hillside. The evidence is subtle – a few resilient native plants, like the feather grass Feather Grass (Stipa pennata) and the Hairy Hawkweed (Hieracium cymosum), stubbornly clinging to the dry slopes.
This small hill has witnessed countless changes over the millennia, and the effects of human activity are undeniable. The once-thriving warm-loving vegetation was largely destroyed when the hill was planted with acacias, a testament to past efforts to control nature. Yet, there’s hope. After the acacias were removed and the hillside was restored, new life is slowly emerging. Though Pecka is not a lush paradise, it’s an example of the intricate balance between nature and human intervention, a reminder that even in the heart of a city, remnants of the geological past can still be found.