Baba, Natural monument and protected area in Dejvice, Czech Republic.

Baba is a natural monument on a rocky spur above the left bank of the Vltava in Dejvice, Prague, covering 7.33 hectares of proterozoic shale cliffs and slopes. Its landmark is the Baba ruin, a romantic folly with a Gothic window built or adapted in the 19th century during construction of the Prague–Podmokly railway. The photograph shows a weathered stucco and brick wall with a large central arch, a smaller arched niche to its left and green graffiti at the lower left.

The area has been shaped by human activity for seven thousand years, mainly through forest clearance and grazing; goats grazed the rocky slopes until the mid-20th century. During construction of the Prague–Podmokly railway in the 19th century, the romantic ruin Baba with its Gothic window was built on the rock summit, possibly reusing remains of an earlier vineyard house.

The ruin on the cliff top was built or adapted in the 19th century during construction of the Prague–Podmokly railway, using remains of an earlier vineyard cottage, and it has a Gothic window. Goats grazed these slopes until the mid-20th century; since 2000 a flock of sheep and goats has returned to hold back the acacia and blackthorn.

The monument lies on steep rocky slopes above the railway line from Prague to Dresden, between V Podbabě and Paťanka streets, next to the Dolní Šárka protected area. The terrain is broken by gullies and ledges, so sturdy footwear helps; grazing sheep and goats have kept the slopes open since 2000.

The ruin on the cliff top is not medieval: it was built or adapted in the 19th century during construction of the Prague–Podmokly railway, partly from the remains of an earlier vineyard cottage, and given a Gothic window. The site has been shaped by people for seven thousand years, mainly through forest clearance and grazing.