Křížky near Prameny

Křížky near Prameny, often simply called the Three Crosses, is one of the best-known places in the Slavkov Forest. Three stone crosses stand on a low hill near the village of Prameny, forming a visible landmark in the local serpentinite landscape. The site belongs to the Křížky National Natural Monument and lies in the central part of the Slavkovský les Protected Landscape Area.

The site covers 4.55 ha at an altitude of 790 to 817 metres. It is protected for its rare plant communities and unusually high number of specially protected plant species. The geological bedrock is serpentinite, a rock whose chemical composition creates very specific conditions for plant life. As a result, species tied to the Mnichov serpentinite sites occur here.

The Three Crosses and the Serpentinite Landscape

The three crosses were erected in 1849. A well-known legend connects them with sick people, or with three brothers, who had them built in thanks for recovery. The legend is not historically documented, but it has become inseparable from the place.

Alongside the view and the crosses, nature is the site's greatest value. Křížky is part of the serpentinite areas of the Slavkov Forest, home to Cerastium alsinifolium, a Czech endemic plant tied to the Mnichov serpentinite sites. From the viewpoint you can see the open landscape of the Slavkov Forest, the surroundings of Prameny and part of the ridges of western Bohemia.

Mnichov Serpentinite Sites Nature Trail

Křížky is one of the stops on the approximately 12 km Mnichov Serpentinite Sites nature trail. The route also links other important serpentinite localities, including Pluhův bor and Dominova skalka. Information panels explain the relationship between serpentinite, vegetation, mineral waters, the history of landscape use and the Dlouhá stoka water channel.

Practical Information

This is a very sensitive protected site. Move only along marked paths and do not step into vegetation outside the trail, because even brief trampling can damage rare plant communities. The site is freely accessible, but in wind, rain or winter you should expect open, cold terrain.

Contacts and How to Get There

• More information: Křížky - Národní geopark Egeria
• Location: Křížky u Pramenů, 353 01 Prameny
• GPS: 50.066123, 12.748593
• Access: a short walk from the road near Prameny; it can be combined with the Mnichov Serpentinite Sites nature trail