Zvolská homole Hillfort

Welcome, you are standing in front of the Zvolské homola, a place where a wide field covered with green grass and scattered bushes stretches over the right bank of the Vltava. The view here reveals slightly rippled slopes, on which are visible mild heights and deepening, which suggest ancient human activity. The air is fresh and slightly scented by forest scents, while the sun hits stone surfaces and creates a game of light and shadow. When you look around, you see only traces, but these marks are the key to understanding the thousands of years of history that took place under this landscape screen.

Let's move on to when people first left their tracks. Around 3,000 years earlier, the first primordial settlement, belonging to the late age of the eneolithic, settled on this island. People lived in simple shelters at the time, using local stones and wood to extract water and fish from the river Vltava. Two thousand years later, about fifteen hundred years before the century, further development appeared here - probably a fortification that protected the settlers from the enemy and allowed agriculture to flourish. This age belongs to the bronze era, when trade routes were expanding and people began to produce bronze tools, which brought higher levels of technology and social organisation.

In the period of the High Middle Ages, about a thousand and three hundred, a castle appeared here. The precise circumstances of its creation remain covered with mystery because no written sources have been preserved to describe the founder or purpose of the construction. Yet archaeologists proved that a solid complex was built here, which served as a defensive point and as a seat of the local aristocratic class. The castle was probably built in a strategically advantageous place where it was possible to control the passage along the Vltava and protect the surrounding area. Even though we do not see tall towers or stone walls today, the remains of foundations and ground excavations remind us that there once stood a powerful castle complex.

In the year two thousand and four there was extensive archaeological research which confirmed the existence of prehistoric settlement and medieval castle. During excavations, scientists discovered ceramic fragments, stone tools and remnants of wooden structures belonging to the age of eneolithic and bronze. At the same time they found stone foundations that can be assigned to a later castle. These findings provide important evidence of how the site evolved and what layers of human activity were alternating. Although there have been no written records, the physical evidence on the ground is clear - Zvolská homole has been an important point on the map of human activity for centuries.

Now pay attention to what you can directly observe. There are slightly elevated edges on the surface of the island, which suggest outlines of old fortifications. In some places you can see slightly elevated stone blocks that could serve as part of the foundation of the walls or as support points for wooden structures. There are several deep areas near the river that are likely to serve as warehouses or residential areas. Pay attention also to the inequalities in the terrain - these inequalities often reveal the old trench systems that were part of the defensive measures. Although no remnants of walls or towers are preserved, you can imagine how these structures were complementary to each other and formed a coherent defense unit.

As for the personalities associated with this place, history has yet to reveal names or specific stories. There are no chronicles or family records that indicate who was the founder of the castle, who was managing it or what events took place here. Yet you can imagine that there have been people who have had to face the daily challenges - the defense against intruders, the management of agricultural land, the trafficking of surrounding settlements and the maintenance of relations with higher powers. This unknown chapter adds a special charm to the place, stimulating the imagination of anyone who goes here.

The interesting thing that may interest you is the absence of written reports of the existence of the residence here. No chronicles, no documents, no references in period springs - everything we know about the site comes from stone, clay and ceramics, which archaeologists carefully interpret. This fact underlines how important it is to preserve and study physical remains, because without them this part of history would remain completely unknown. Moreover, the fact that research from the year two thousand and four has brought new knowledge shows that even after years something new can be discovered if we look at the site with an open mind and modern methods.

Finally, I invite you to enjoy this unique location in peace and with respect for its historical importance. Walk slowly through the sharpness, feel the atmosphere that persists for millennia, and be inspired by the story of the people who lived and worked here. Remember that Zvolská homole is protected as a cultural monument and part of the nature reserve, so it is important to maintain its natural state for future generations. Thank you for listening to this guide, and I wish you a pleasant time to explore the surrounding beauty. May the joy of knowledge and peace be with you in your heart.