Hradišťanská louka, Nature reserve on the Hradišťany summit plateau in the České středohoří, Czech Republic
Hradišťanská louka is a nature reserve on the summit plateau of Hradišťany mountain, east of Mukov in the České středohoří protected landscape area. It protects a dry sub-mountain meadow and stone ramparts built of basalt boulders up to 3 m high and 6 m wide, dating to the Knovíz culture (c. 1200–1000 BCE).
The reserve was established in 1952 and protects stone ramparts dating to the Knovíz culture period between 1200 and 1000 BCE. These remains show that the plateau has been inhabited since prehistoric times.
The meadow earned the name 'orchid meadow' in the late 19th century because numerous orchid species flourished there before farming practices altered the soil. This history reflects how the landscape was perceived by local communities.
The reserve is accessible via a red-marked hiking trail from Třebívlic or through forest paths from nearby villages including Mukov, Dřevce, Lhota, and Štěpánov. Spring and autumn offer the most pleasant walking conditions.
The reserve's stone ramparts, built from basalt boulders up to 3 metres high and 6 metres wide, date to the Knovíz culture (c. 1200–1000 BCE). The meadow was partly ploughed in the 1950s, and fertilisation from the 1930s to the 1970s caused its orchids to vanish.
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