Barrandov cliffs – My favourite view of Prague

The lime stone cliffs in the south-west of Prague, just above Prokopské údolí, are particularly unique. The whole area of Barrandov is actually called after a French paleontologist Joachim Barrande who made some significant discoveries in this area in the 19th century. The lime stone preserved a lot of prehistoric sea fossils and you can still find them if you know where to seek.

Later, lime stone appeared to be a very attractive mining item. So until some mid-20th century, the whole massive was being mined out. That is also where the largest cliffs come from. Time to time, some of the massive would collapse, leaving the big rocks grow like teeth from the terrain.

By the cliffs there is also one of the best-guarded military areas in the Czech republic. No-one really knows what is its purpose. It is only known that the hills are drilled through with a number of corridors. Allegedly there used to be a secret nazi bomb-research center while later the communists used the space for storage of explosives.

To get to the cliffs, find your own way up either from Hlubočepská or Zlíchov bus/tram stop. If you make it up to the edge, you will definitely agree that it’s one of the best imaginable places for a Sunday trip (which can be either 3 or 15 km long, depends on you) or a picnic. The massive offers a great view of Prague while you can hear the muted sounds of the city…