The Travertine Mound is a small but scientifically remarkable site on the edge of the village of Tuchořice, where warm springs once bubbled up millions of years ago, leaving behind one of the most important paleontological sites in the Czech Republic. This is a spot for hikers who want more than a view - it offers a true journey back to a Tertiary forest world.

The landscape here is quiet and rural - gentle hills, fields, and a low, grass-covered travertine mound that is easy to miss unless you know what lies beneath. There are no dramatic cliffs or panoramas; instead, the atmosphere is calm and contemplative, perfect for a relaxed outing in spring or autumn when the surrounding countryside is at its most colorful.

How to get there

• Tuchořice, road to Markvarec, near house no. 36 - short walk of a few minutes, easy difficulty
• About 400 m south of a former quarry protected as the Miocene Freshwater Limestones natural monument - the two sites can easily be combined into one outing

Practical information

• Protected as a natural monument due to its paleontological significance
• Public access only along the marked path leading to house no. 36
• Removing or digging up rocks is not appropriate, as this is a scientifically protected site

The travertine rocks have yielded bones of Tertiary carnivores, rodents, ungulates and mollusks dating back 17 to 20 million years, along with a find of fossil date-palm seeds unique in Europe outside of a similar discovery near Halle in Germany.