Adamov: an iron town, a Gothic altar and the gateway to the Josefov Valley

Adamov (population around 4,600) lies in the deep, wooded valley of the River Svitava, twelve kilometres north of Brno. It is the southern gateway to the Moravian Karst: the Josefov Valley educational trail begins at the railway station and leads to the Jáchymka Cave and the Býčí skála (Bull Rock) Cave. In town, you will find the Church of St Barbara with the Světlá Altar (Světelský oltář), a late Gothic work from the Austrian abbey of Zwettl, featuring 59 carved figures. It is a national cultural monument. Above the town stands the stone Alexander Lookout Tower, open to all and free of charge. Nearby are the Old Ironworks (Stará huť) with its František blast furnace, and, in the woods, the ruins of Nový hrad (New Castle). The town itself offers hardly any tourist accommodation, so you will need to stay in Blansko.

QUICK LINKS ⛪ Světlá Altar · 🗼 Lookout tower and castles · 🥾 Into the karst · 🛏️ Where to stay · ❓ FAQ

Adamov is not known for its good looks. Its prefabricated tower blocks and the empty factory halls of the former Adast engineering works do little to help, and the locals will happily admit as much. But arrive by train, head from the station into the woods, and within minutes you will find yourself in one of the loveliest valleys in the southern part of the karst. And in the church at the heart of town stands a masterpiece of late Gothic art.

The iron town

Iron was being worked here as early as the 14th century. The settlement by the hammer mills was originally called Staré Hamry (Old Hammers). Around 1732 it was renamed Adamov in honour of Prince Joseph Johann Adam of Liechtenstein. The Liechtensteins built ironworks here which, in the 20th century, grew into the Adamov Engineering Works (Adast). You can read the whole story of iron in the region in the article Iron Karst.

The Church of St Barbara and the Světlá Altar

The neo-Gothic Church of St Barbara, patron saint of miners, was built between 1855 and 1857 to a design by the Viennese architect Josef Kieser. It has no conventional tower, just a small turret, and was built without plaster so that it would blend in with the buildings of the hammer mills. It was conceived as a single ensemble together with the parsonage, the school and the cemetery.

Inside is the Světlá Altar (Světelský oltář), named after Zwettl in Austria (Světlá in Czech). It was carved from lime wood between 1516 and 1525 for the Cistercian abbey there. Over 7 metres tall, it features 59 figures and depicts the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The altar was bought by the Prince of Liechtenstein, who donated it to the new church. It has been a national cultural monument since 2010.

The church is at U Kostela 377. We were unable to find fixed opening hours, so please arrange your visit in advance through the town office (mesto@adamov.cz, tel. 516 499 620).

Alexander Lookout Tower and the castles

• Alexander Lookout Tower is a stone tower dating from the late 19th century, overlooking the Svitava valley, although it actually stands in the neighbouring parish of Babice nad Svitavou. It is around 17 metres high and open all year round, free of charge. From Adamov, a steeper route follows the green waymarked trail; from Babice there is a gentler path, which you can manage even with a pushchair.
• Nový hrad (New Castle). You will find the ruins of this castle, built in the 14th century by Margrave Jobst as the centre of his estate, in the woods above Adamov. The traces of earlier fortifications are known as Starý hrad (Old Castle).
• The woods around Adamov are also dotted with memorial plaques and monuments.

From Adamov into the karst

• Josefov Valley. A five-kilometre educational trail leads from Adamov along the Křtinský potok stream to the freely accessible caves of Jáchymka and Kostelík and on to Býčí skála (Bull Rock); see Josefov Valley and Býčí skála.
• The Old Ironworks near Adamov (Stará huť), with its 10-metre-high František furnace and an exhibition by the Technical Museum in Brno; see Iron Karst.
• To Josefov and Habrůvka; see Habrůvka and Josefov, and onwards through the Křtiny Valley to Křtiny.
• By bike: cycle route no. 5077 runs from Adamov via Josefov and Křtiny to Jedovnice; see Blansko–Křtiny–Jedovnice.

Getting there: trains run to Adamov from Brno on the line towards Blansko. That makes Adamov a good starting point for a car-free trip into the karst; see The Moravian Karst without a car.

Where to stay

We could find no tourist accommodation in Adamov with verified opening. The nearest larger choice is in Blansko, just a few minutes away by train (see Blansko), or in Křtiny (see Křtiny). For more tips, see the article Where to stay in the Moravian Karst.

FAQ

What is the Světlá Altar? A late Gothic carved altar from 1516–1525, originally made for the abbey at Zwettl (Světlá in Czech). It has 59 figures and stands in the Church of St Barbara in Adamov. It is a national cultural monument.

Is Alexander Lookout Tower free? Yes, it is open all year round and there is no admission charge.

How do I get from Adamov into the Moravian Karst? From the station, follow the educational trail through the Josefov Valley to the Jáchymka Cave and Býčí skála. It is about five kilometres.

Can I stay overnight in Adamov? There is very little tourist accommodation here. Blansko or Křtiny are better options.

Information verified as of 12 October 2026. Sources: Adamov (Wikipedia); Kudy z nudy: Church of St Barbara in Adamov; Kudy z nudy: Alexander Lookout Tower; Town of Adamov.

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