A whisper of ancient life. That’s what this place holds. Welcome to the p\u0159\u00edrodn\u00ed pam\u00e1tka U Branick\u00e9ho pivovaru. This isn’t just any natural monument. It’s a window into Prague’s geological past. A place where the echoes of a bustling basalt quarry still resonate.
The p\u0159\u00edrodn\u00ed pam\u00e1tka U Branick\u00e9ho pivovaru covers a small area. It is nestled on the Vltava River’s right bank. The area includes Bran\u00edk and Hodkovi\u010dky districts. This natural monument is vertically diverse. It has an altitude between 198 and 230 meters. It consists of two separate areas.
Imagine the scene in 1870. A basalt quarry opened here. It operated until 1922. The quarry’s southern part is now largely concreted. It is enclosed by a fence. Prague’s waterworks and sewage system use the area. The public cannot access this section freely. The quarry’s slope faces south and west. The deforestation for the quarry inadvertently fostered steppe vegetation.
This unique ecosystem flourished until the construction of a railway bridge in 1950. This bridge dramatically limited the steppe habitat. The p\u00e1tka was established in 1988. It protects these rare thermophilic communities. It’s also valued for its geological significance.
The most valuable features are the rocks from the Lower Paleozoic. These rocks belong to the Motolsk\u00e1 formation. They are from the Lower Silurian period. They are approximately 443-427 million years old. A basalt dyke intrudes through the layers of dark graptolite shales. This dyke is 10-12 meters thick. This dyke’s heat accelerated the drying of cracks in the sediments. These cracks are filled with crystalline calcite. Some cracks are as long as 150 centimeters. These structures are important for studying compaction and diagenetic processes.
This site reveals some of the oldest Silurian invertebrate fossils in the Czech Republic. You can find the graptolite zones Octavites spiralis and Monoclimacis geinitzi here. This allows comparisons with graptolite zones around the world. These zones are filled with brachiopods cephalopods and trilobites. A significant find was Slava norna. This is the oldest Czech representative of the Slavidae family of trilobites.
The p\u0159\u00edrodn\u00ed pam\u00e1tka U Branick\u00e9ho pivovaru harbors rare plants. Basic rankers and eubasic cambisols thrive on the basalt bedrock. Here grows Erysimum crepidifolium alongside Festuca valesiaca. The endangered Stipa joannis also thrives here. Other rare species include Anthericum liliago Centaurea triumfettii and Thlaspi montanum. The highly endangered Pulsatilla pratensis subsp. bohemica and Allium strictum are also found here.
The area supports limited animal life because of its small size. The surrounding protective forest belt provides shelter for birds and small mammals. You might spot the great spotted woodpecker the European hedgehog or the stone marten. The steppe fauna includes snails and arthropods like the spider Titanoeca quadriguttata. Rare beetles also live in this area. Butterflies like Papilio machaon and Iphiclides podalirius are frequently seen here.
Volunteers from the Brontosaurus movement maintain the p\u0159\u00edrodn\u00ed pam\u00e1tka U Branick\u00e9ho pivovaru. They mow grass and remove invasive trees. They also slowly eradicate black locusts. The railway remains a challenge. It allows the introduction of non-native species. Litter accumulation near the railway tracks is another issue.
So remember this little corner of Prague. The p\u0159\u00edrodn\u00ed pam\u00e1tka U Branick\u00e9ho pivovaru. It is more than just a place. It’s a living museum of time. It is a testament to Prague’s rich natural and geological heritage.