Krty: Granite, Forest and Village History

Krty brings together the history of granite quarrying, the present-day Krtské skály natural monument, hiking destinations and historic architectural forms. Several themes come together when planning a trip: the forest south of the village, individual destinations in the municipal forest and the village’s history. You can therefore choose what to focus on in Krty based on what matters most to you—natural and landscape history, route orientation or architecture.

Granite Landscape and Hiking Orientation

Granite quarrying near Krty has ended; the area is now protected as the Krtské skály natural monument and lies in the forest south of Krty. Two periods therefore meet here: the former granite extraction and the area’s present-day protected status. This distinction puts the landscape’s history in context without equating past quarrying with its current status.

Čertův kámen lies just beyond Krty, close to the blue-marked hiking trail towards Krtské skály. A sign at the turn-off points to the stone; it is in the forest, about 100 metres to the left of the main path. If you are heading for the stone as a specific waypoint, you can follow the blue markers and the sign, then take account of the approximate distance from the main path.

Hiking Destinations and Route

Another destination is Trpasličí díra, a cavity that still exists in the municipal forest southeast of Krty. Access is unusually specific: the only way to get inside is to crawl in on your stomach. So when planning, it is not just the location of the cavity that matters, but also this particular way of accessing it. This can help you decide whether you want to include the destination in your plans.

Tourist Route 1020 runs from U můstku via Krty and Krty railway station to the Krtské skály junction. It thus sets out a sequence of landmarks and provides a different scale for route planning than the individual signposted turn-off to Čertův kámen. The route passes through named stops; the information about the stone, by contrast, describes how to find a single destination.

Village Layout, Church and History

Krty has a distinctive Slavic circular village layout, also known as an okrouhlice. The term refers to the circular settlement pattern and draws attention to the shape of the village. The first recorded mention offers another perspective on local history: Krty was first mentioned in 1227 and belonged to Rabštejn Castle at the time.

The Church of Saint Adalbert stands at the northern edge of the rectangular village square. It is originally early Baroque and was built in 1682, remodelled in 1737 and renovated in 1931. The three dates refer to different building phases: construction, remodelling and later renovation.

The architecture can also be described through specific features. The church has a single-nave layout with a semicircular presbytery. The nave has a barrel vault, while the sacristy has a flat ceiling. This distinguishes the layout and ceiling forms: the barrel vault characterises the nave, and the flat ceiling the sacristy.

The J. Pokorny quarry in Krty is part of the history of granite quarrying. It was established in 1872 and was probably the oldest and largest of these enterprises in the former political district of Podbořany. The year of its founding is another historical reference point alongside the first mention of the village; granite quarrying near Krty has now ended.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Krakov, Svinařov, Svojetín, Šanov, Kolešov, Václavy, Malinová, Hvozd U Rakovníka

For the broader travel overview: Okres Rakovník.