Where to go in the Moravian Karst
Besides racing, there will certainly be some time to explore the Moravian Karst. Do you know which caves to visit, where the Macocha Abyss is located or what attractions are off the main tourist routes?
First stop – The Moravian Karst House of Nature
Before you set out to discover the beauty of the Moravian Karst, it is worth visiting the Moravian Karst House of Nature, whose exposition will tell you the whole story of the local landscape. You can also plan your next excursions, shop for regional products and original souvenirs or try out the new crypto game at the visitors centre. The House of Nature is simply the ideal starting point for your further exploration of the Moravian Karst. For orienteers, there is also a special offer during EYOC. Racers who show their race SI card when buying tickets can visit the exposition of the House of Nature for a special price of 60 CZK per person.
Karst landscape full of history – caves, abysses and prehistoric rituals
The Moravian Karst is a region that does not only show its beauty above ground, but also hides it under ground. The typical Devonian white limestone has been washed by water for millions of years, creating thousands of caves adorned with stalactites and underground rivers. You can admire the cave decorations on a tour of the Sloupsko-Šošůvské Caves, you can see “all the way to the bottom” from the lower bridge of the more than 138-metre-deep Macocha Abyss, and you can learn what prehistoric people did in the karst in the Pekárna Cave or at the Býčí skála Cave.
- Caves of Moravian Karst (opening hours, tickets reservation)
Away from the main tourist destinations lies the village of Rudice
The former mining village with a stylishly restored windmill or the Tumperek abyss hidden under the canal in the middle of the village. What you should not miss, are the colourful sands of the Seč quarry. The former kaolin quarry is literally bursting with dozens of colours. In the past, coloured sands were mined here – ceramic, glass, foundry or simply for plaster. The history of mining can be explored on the Rudice mines nature trail, which is followed by another nature trail that leads you to the Rudice sinkhole. There, the river suddenly disappears into a cave 86 metres underground.
Santini’s church in Křtiny
Not only lovers of sacral monuments will be delighted by the sight of the Church of the Virgin Mary in Křtiny. The Baroque complex was built according to the project of Jan Blažej Santini and hides a large ossuary in its underground.
For a jump to Brno
Brno has long offered more than just Špilberk Castle, the Old Town Hall with its crocodile and leaning tower or the bizarre astronomical clock on Svobody Square. The people of Brno have discovered and opened their underground to the public, so you can walk through the cellar labyrinth under the Green Market, let your breath be taken away by the mysterious space of the water tanks under the Yellow Hill or try to count all the bones in the ossuary at St. Jakub church. If earthly experiences are not enough for you, head to the Observatory and Planetarium on Kraví hora, where a literally cosmic programme awaits you every day. They’ll even lend us a bit of space for the races. The Lunalon, an inflatable model of the Moon, can be found in the race arenas.
Do you know the beauty of the Moravian Karst? Join the competition during the Czech O-Tour, we are competing for a Duffelbag Mästarn, a Str8 compass and a Lucifer jersey!