Apolena, Nature reserve in Troskovice, Czech Republic

Apolena is a nature reserve in Troskovice characterized by steep sandstone cliffs, dense forests, and exposed geological layers. The varying rock formations alternate throughout the area and create a diverse landscape with different habitats.

The reserve was officially protected in 1998 to preserve its geological and ecological features. These measures aimed to safeguard the natural processes that have shaped the landscape over time.

The name Apolena refers to the distinctive sandstone rock formations that visitors immediately notice when entering the area. These natural structures define how the place looks and feels to anyone walking through it.

No marked hiking trail leads into the reserve, and the rock area has been officially closed to the public since 2010. The sandstone is the softest in the Český ráj area, with a kaolinic cement, so climbing is not permitted; climbing was banned here in 2006.

The Sklepy cave, the largest fissure pseudokarst cave in Český ráj, lies within the reserve and covers 0.0398 hectares as a Natura 2000 site. It is protected as a winter roost of the lesser horseshoe bat, and other bat species have been recorded there irregularly.