Křtiny Valley: from Josefov to Křtiny through Moravia's Longest Cave System

Křtiny Valley continues on from Josefov Valley and stretches from the hamlet of Josefov all the way to Křtiny — geographically it’s one single valley, though the name was historically split into two sections. It’s followed by the Křtinský Stream, which disappears underground near Výpustek and only flows the full length of the valley during periods of higher water. Hidden here is the second-longest cave system in the Czech Republic (Rudické propadání–Býčí skála, around 13 km of passages) along with more than 190 known cave entrances discovered so far. From the 17th century onwards, the valley belonged to the Liechtenstein family, who wanted to turn it into a cultural park — and from the early Middle Ages it was home to one of the largest ironworking centres of the early Slavs.

QUICK LINKS 📜 The region’s oldest documented valley · 🕳️ Rudické propadání and Býčí skála · ⚒️ Iron 1,200 years old · 🏰 Liechtensteins vs Salms · ❓ FAQ

While the neighbouring Pustý žleb draws the crowds to Punkva Cave, Křtiny Valley is a different kind of place altogether — quieter, less commercial, but historically the richest part of the whole region. It’s the only valley in the Moravian Karst with an unbroken history of human activity stretching from the early Middle Ages right up to the present day.

The region’s oldest documented valley

The first description of the karst features of Křtiny Valley — its labyrinth of caves and chasms at Výpustek, the point where the Křtinský Stream disappears underground, and its resurgence spring — comes from the Premonstratensian monk Martin Alexander Vigsius, who published it between 1661 and 1663 in a book with the Latin title Vallis Baptismi (literally “the Valley of Baptism”, i.e. Křtiny Valley). Vigsius described the landscape in such detail that he’s now regarded as the first geographer of the entire Moravian Karst.

The Křtinský Stream, which runs through the valley, is formed by the confluence of a stream from Luční Valley and one from the village of Bukovina. Less than a kilometre below Křtiny it enters the limestone area, and its water disappears underground near Výpustek Cave — as a result, the rest of the valley is often completely dry when water levels are low, and the stream only flows through it at full strength after heavy rain.

Dozens of cave entrances line both sides of the valley. In 1900, 19 had been recorded; by 1955 that number had risen to 74 — and today more than 190 are documented. The figure keeps growing as amateur speleologists continue their exploration to this day.

Rudické propadání and Býčí skála: the second-longest system in the Czech Republic

The most significant part of Křtiny Valley is the Rudice Plateau, home to the Rudické propadání – Býčí skála cave system — the second-longest in the entire Czech Republic after Amatérská Cave. Rudické propadání itself is also the largest typical sinkhole in the country, and Obří dóm (“Giant’s Dome”) inside the system is the largest underground chamber in the whole Moravian Karst.

The main passage of Býčí skála (Bull Rock Cave) measures 2,400 metres in length and 10 to 12 metres in width, while the whole system — including Rudické propadání and Barová Cave — reaches a total length of around 13 kilometres. For a long time only the first roughly 350 metres were accessible, with further progress blocked by a small lake known as Šenk’s Siphon, where the water reached right up to the ceiling. In 1912, G. Nouackh became the first person in the whole Moravian Karst to attempt to dive through it — without success. Even so, some illustrious visitors did make it this far: in 1804 the Austrian Emperor Francis II and Marie Therese, together with the Prince of Liechtenstein, toured the cave — commemorative plaques marking their visit are still carved into the rock today.

Iron 1,200 years old

From the early Middle Ages, Křtiny Valley and its surroundings were among the most important centres of iron mining and processing in Moravia. Clear evidence of iron smelting here dates back to the 8th century — according to archaeologists, Slavic prospectors arrived at that time and discovered rich deposits of what’s known as the Rudice Beds, a geological formation rich in limonite (brown) iron ore.

The scale of finds near Olomučany and Habrůvka makes this one of the largest ironworking centres in the territory of the Western Slavs — furnaces and workshops operated here, with interruptions, right up until the 11th century, during the rise of the Great Moravian Empire, when demand for iron for weapons and the construction of hillforts grew sharply. Even the name of the village of Rudice and its districts, Žegrov and Žakan, directly references iron mining and smelting. Industrial mining of iron ore in the region didn’t come to a final end until 1893, when the Blansko ironworks were converted into an engineering plant.

Liechtensteins vs Salms: two families, two approaches

The whole of the Moravian Karst once belonged to two noble families. The northern part, plus a small piece of the central area, was managed by the Salm family, who had a genuine interest in speleological research and personally took part in it alongside their employees. Křtiny and Josefov Valleys, together with the southern part of the region, belonged instead to the Liechtensteins, who took a completely different approach to the caves — they wanted to turn the whole landscape into a kind of cultural park with spas and attractions, combined with the greatest possible economic use of the area.

Traces of their influence can still be seen in the region today: Adamov most likely takes its name from Prince Johann Adam Andreas of Liechtenstein, Františčina Huť (“Francis’s Forge”) in Josefov is named after Prince Francis Joseph I, and the opening of Výpustek Cave to the public is also down to their efforts.

Frequently asked questions

Is Křtiny Valley the same as Josefov Valley? Geographically, yes — it’s one continuous valley following the Křtinský Stream, just historically divided into two named sections: Josefov Valley from Adamov to Josefov, and Křtiny Valley from Josefov to Křtiny.

How many caves are known in the valley today? Over 190 cave entrances, with the number still growing as amateur speleological research continues.

Is Rudické propadání – Býčí skála open to the public? No, it’s a cave system that’s not freely accessible — only Býčí skála (Bull Rock Cave) opens to the public, and only on special open days (see our article on Josefov Valley).

Why was so much iron mined in the valley? A geological formation known as the Rudice Beds held rich deposits of limonite iron ore here, accessible even to early medieval ironworkers — making the region one of the largest ironworking centres of the early Slavs.

Part of the series A Week in the Moravian Karst: a Complete 7-Day Itinerary. Follows on from Josefov Valley and Býčí skála. Source: Musil, R. et al. — “Moravský kras: Průvodce Josefovským a Křtinským údolím”, Masaryk University, 2019.