Kouřim - fortified settlement Stará Kouřim
The largest early medieval fortification in Bohemia
The Stará Kouřim hill is located about a kilometer east of the town of Kouřim. Due to its very convenient location, it was therefore inhabited from the late Stone Age until the early Middle Ages. The fort was originally called Zlíč and from the end of the 8th century it was the seat of the Zlíč family, which competed with the Přemyslids. The brother of Prince Václav Boleslav Ukrutný finally conquered the fortified settlement in 930 and burned it to the ground. The fortified settlement is protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.
Lech's stone
The road to the former fortified settlement leads around the distinctive gneiss rock „Lechův kámen“. According to the legend recorded in the chronicle of Václav Hájek of Libočany, the mythical Slavic prince Lech settled at this rock and lit the fire brother of the ancestor of Bohemia settled on the top of Říp, where he will find Lech. And after that smoke, they called this place Smoke.
View of the town of Kourim
From Lech's stone there is an impressive view of the picturesque historic town of Kouřim.
Former double entrance gate
After a few steps, we walk through the site of the original double entrance gate in the outer rampart of the extensive Slavic fortified settlement of Stará Kouřim.
Remains of Slavic walls
The total length of the three lines of the timber walls was almost 3 km.
Chapel of St. Welcome
On the acropolis of the early medieval Zlíčany fortified settlement, there used to be a wooden hall building and later a princely court. Today we find here a small baroque chapel of St. Víta from 1724, Remains of Slavic walls are still visible all around.
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