Topol Hillfort

Welcome to this extraordinary and quiet place. You are standing just outside the prehistoric wall of Topol, located northwest of the same-name village at Chrudimi. Look around you. You are right inside the beautiful Habrov Nature Reserve, and in front of you is a landscape that carries a secret thousands of years ago. Even though you will not see here today the proud palaces or the standing walls, you perceive the space that belonged to the most important power and residential centers of your time.

When you look at the terrain shape you're on, it's a natural island. This position was not chosen by chance. The prehistoric people knew why they chose high places. This location represents one of the oldest fortified settlements in the whole Czech Republic. From here, our ancient ancestors had a perfect overview of everything that spread in the landscape beneath them.

Let's move on in time to a time when this place came to life by human presence. The fort was inhabited in two main prehistoric stages. The first people here found a home in the period of eneolite, that is, the copper age, when mankind first began to settle down and change the face of the landscape. The second large stage of the settlement falls into the age of the Halštats, the older iron age. At both times, Topol played a crucial strategic role. People lived here, worked here, defended their homes, and built communities that shaped the history of our region by location and meaning.

Now pay attention to the terrain itself and the nature of the place where you stand. Architecture in today's sense would be in vain here, yet note the natural shapes of the landscape. The fort is situated on a significant sharpness whose steep slopes formed a natural and very effective defense. In addition, it was sufficient to add a sophisticated fortification which was extremely advanced for the time being. It was this fortification that made Topol an impenetrable fortress and center of power.

When we think about the stories that have taken place here, we must mention not only the anonymous people, but also the people who dedicated their lives to uncovering the past here. Significant archaeological findings gradually confirmed the huge role this settlement played in prehistoric times. For decades, it has brought new knowledge through the work of enthusiastic researchers. The first archaeological research of this site was carried out by the Chrudim Museum in nineteen hundred thirty-two. That was an important first step to uncovering the secrets hidden underground. A few decades later, in nineteen hundred and fifty-six, he showed the existence of the Vít Vokolek fortification, whose name is firmly linked to this place. His research gave new hope to understand how people of prehistoric age protected and fortified this place. The research continued in the following years, for example in nineteen hundred seventy seven, when further research on archaeological research began, which brought more valuable pieces to the mosaic of our oldest history.

Now stop and feel the atmosphere associated with the attractions and dramas that took place here. Right at the beginning we mentioned that Topol is one of the oldest fortified settlements in Bohemia, hidden in the Habrov Nature Reserve. It's fascinating to imagine how this community worked. All those generations of people who lived here in the eneolithic era and in the Halloween era. But the end of this famous castle was not peaceful. According to archaeological findings, the end of the castle brought a dramatic war event. We can only guess who the assailants were and what caused the conflict, but the fact that this powerful settlement has gone up in flames or as a result of armed conflict gives the place a special, almost palpable and freezing atmosphere. When you look at the forest silence of the natural reserve, traces of ancient fighting and human effort remain silent below the clouds of time.

We hope you enjoyed this stop in prehistoric times. You can go through the surrounding forest roads for a while, perceive the calm of the Habrov Nature Reserve and imagine the beating of the hearts of the people who lived here thousands of years ago. Thank you for listening to our audio guide, and we wish you a beautiful rest of the day on your next discovery of the Chrudim region. Goodbye.