Oppidum Stradonice Oppidum

Welcome to the place where time stops and where history touches the earth itself under your footsteps. You are standing in front of one of the most important archaeological findings in the whole region of Bohemia - before the oppid of Stradonice. If you look around now, you'll probably see a vast, peaceful landscape that can act at first glance as a natural platform. But know that it is under this peaceful layer of earth, on the upper plateau of the Hradiště, that the revealed size of ancient civilization is hidden. Feel this atmosphere, feel this space. What you see before you is not only the hills and the fields, but the remains of the world, which was the peak of technological and political progress in this part of Europe over two thousand years ago.

Let's go back to the deep past together to understand why this place is so special. Imagine the period after the mid-second century of the transitional period before our current number of years. At that time there were no walls, but there was already a significant unfortified settlement. They were people who found the perfect place to live and trade. Over time, however, the needs of this community have changed. Perhaps a time of uncertainty has come, perhaps the need to consolidate its power, and so around 120 temporary years before our current number of years began to build the first real fortifications. This made the simple settlement an oppidum - an important fortified centre, which served not only as a home, but also as a centre of administration, trade and craft. Stradonice became a key point of Celtic culture, a place that required not only defence, but also an organization on an unprecedented scale back then.

Now pay close attention to the size and structure of this place, even though it may seem to you that all you see is an open landscape. If you tried to measure the entire area of this oppida, you would find it occupies over 90 hectares. It's a surface that must have been a stunning impression at the time. The entire complex was not built randomly. It was carefully divided into two main parts: acropolis, i.e. elevated and the most important core, and a barrier which served the wider needs of settlers. This whole vast space was protected by walls whose total length was incredible four and three decimal kilometers. Imagine the work, the effort and the technical skill that people had to spend to build such a massive and complex defense system around such a vast territory. Even if you don't see the physical walls today at their full height, the knowledge of their existence and dimensions should guide you every step of the way.

In order to understand why this site was so selected and why people here decided to invest so much energy in construction, we need to look at what nature itself offers in this area. The gastropods were not selected at random. This plateau was strategically located and the surrounding area offered the wealth that made the Celtic Yhtebka powerful at the time. In close proximity there were valuable deposits of iron ore and copper. These raw materials were the basis of the industry and technical progress at the time. Besides, the surrounding streams were golden. Imagine the currents of water that carried pieces of precious metals inside them, and imagine the people who learned to extract these treasures from the water. It was thanks to these resources that Stradonice became a rich and prosperous centre that managed to finance such monumental buildings as the walls.

With this wealth and power, there are also stories that we have managed to extract from these layers of the earth. One of the most important moments in the modern history of this place was the year of a thousand eight hundred seventy-seven. That's when the find took place, which gave this place a whole new dimension. Liborin L. then discovered an incredible treasure - the entire deposit of 200 gold coins. Imagine the excitement, the weight of gold that was at the time a symbol of the highest position and wealth. This find has clearly shown us that Stradonice was not just an ordinary settlement, but a real financial and political hub where a huge number of valuables moved. This moment was one of the key points that led to this region being later recognised as extremely valuable and was officially declared a cultural monument in a thousand and nine hundred and sixty-five.

Even though we walk in peace after this place today, there is a mystery hidden in that place. How did people get so organized on such an extensive surface? How did they manage to keep such a complex system in such a boom? And what happened when their era finally closed? Although we have many answers thanks to archaeology, we always feel that we are just guests in a place that has its own, deep secret. The invisible force that once controlled this peak of the Hradic, still resonates in that space.

Now I want to invite you to continue this journey. In front of you is the teaching trail of the Celtic oppida Stradonice, which was opened in the year two thousand and five. I suggest you not just let yourself see the landscape, but try to see the space in which you are moving. Walk through these roads, perceive the extent of the acropolis and the foothills and try to reconstruct the bust in your mind, the life that once took place here. Every step along this path is a step into the past that shaped our territory. I wish you a pleasant walk through this fascinating world of old Celtic masters. Thank you for joining me on this short journey through time.