Calvary in Motol, Natural monument and protected area in Motol, Czech Republic.
Calvary in Motol is a 3.71-hectare natural monument in Prague 5, split by Plzeňská street into two rocky hills of early Paleozoic rock rising 285 to 318 metres above sea level. A basalt rock above the Motolský potok carries a cross dated 1721 with the Maltese cross emblem; the northern part holds a forest park laid out around 1970.
The site was officially designated as a protected natural monument by the Czech government in 1982, securing its ecological features for the future. This protection status has been maintained ever since, recognizing the area's environmental value.
The cross on the basalt rock bears the date 1721 and the coat of arms of the Knights Hospitaller, the oldest knightly order in the world, which owned the mill below the rock. In 1846 the historian Václav Vladivoj Tomek brought Pavel Josef Šafařík and Karel Havlíček Borovský here on an outing.
Visit year-round using the marked trails, which require only comfortable walking shoes and standard outdoor clothing. Weather and seasonal conditions can affect ground conditions, so plan accordingly for mud or wet areas during rainy periods.
On the rock with the cross grows a population of Allium strictum, one of its few sites in Bohemia. In 1846 historian Václav Vladivoj Tomek brought Pavel Josef Šafařík and Karel Havlíček Borovský here; Joachim Barrande found two fossil sites on the slope.
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