Featured location: Lipnice quarries hidden in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands

Most Czechs associate Lipnice with the castle of the same name or with the town’s most famous resident, Jaroslav Hašek, author of The Good Soldier Švejk. But few know that the history of the small town of Lipnice nad Sázavou, long associated with stone masonry, especially granite mining and processing, whose tradition dates back to the 13th century. And it’s there that the current location under our spotlight – the Lipnice Quarries – have their roots.

“In the exquisitely beautiful countryside of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands near Lipnice are the remnants of about fifteen flooded quarries from granite mines. They’re romantic, picturesque spots surrounded by forests and rock faces, and I believe that apart from hikers and campers they could appeal to filmmakers as well,” says Michaela Králová from the Vysočina Film Office, the contact point for filmmakers in the region, which helps them among other things identify interesting new locations.

The quarries are all within walking distance of Lipnice, at most 5 km away. Some are situated to the west and northwest of the town, while there is a second cluster of lakes to the northeast, by the village of Vilémovec. The area of the quarries ranges from 600 to 5800 m2.

One of the largest quarries (approx. 4500 m2) is situated 2 km west of Lipnice. Its official name is Hřeben IV, but it’s widely known as the Old Quarry or, due to its shape, the Glasses. Apart from the lake itself, there’s an interesting complex on its shore that serves as the base of the Czech Union of Campers. It was built from 1965–1969 according to a design by the architect Jaroslav Vaculík, one of the last post-war Czech pupils of Le Courbusier.

“The campground area could certainly serve as a base for filmmakers during a shoot. The main building on the quarry bank serves as a dining hall and common space, while it also houses three bedrooms. There are a further 20 two-bed cabins nearby, and one with four beds. In all, nearly 60 people can be accommodated there,” says Králová.

Also suitable for a basecamp is the amphitheater in Lipnice nad Sázavou itself. There are 2500 m2 of free space, including paved sections and grass lawns; in close proximity is a sports hall building with social facilities. All of these are owned by the village of Lipnice nad Sázavou, which is very eager to host filmmakers and production crews.

Another interesting feature is the so-called National Eavesdropping Memorial. These are reliefs (sculptures) carved into the walls of three of the Lipnice quarries by sculptor Radomír Dvořák, as well as his students and colleagues. The first was the 3-meter high Bretschneider’s Ear (at the Jednička quarry), unveiled in 2005 and named after the secret policeman’s ear from Hašek’s novel The Good Soldier Švejk. A year later, the Mouth of Truth was created in the nearby Dvojka quarry, and in 2007 the work was closed by Golden Eyes carved into the granite wall of the Střelnice quarry (Hřeben I).