Habrůvka and Josefov: the village beneath which Býčí skála lies

Habrůvka (about 450 inhabitants) sits on a plateau between Křtiny and Adamov, and the boundary of the Moravian Karst Protected Landscape Area runs right through the middle of the village. Its territory includes the hamlet of Josefov in the valley below, and with it the Býčí skála Cave (Bull Rock Cave), one of the most famous archaeological sites in the country. Nearby stands the national cultural monument Stará huť (the Old Ironworks), with its Franz furnace. An educational trail runs along the valley to the freely accessible Jáchymka and Kostelík caves. In the village itself you will find peace and quiet, a memorial to a French officer from 1866 and the Tyrš Orchard. You can stay overnight in nearby Křtiny or in Bukovinka.

QUICK LINKS 👀 What to see in the village · 🕳️ Josefov and Býčí skála · 🥾 Walks and rides · 🛏️ Where to stay · ❓ FAQ

Most people know the Josefov Valley and Býčí skála, but few realise that they belong to Habrůvka. The village itself stands up on the plateau, a spot that visitors coming up from the valley rarely reach.

What to see in the village

Habrůvka is first mentioned in writing in 1365. It takes its name from the hornbeams (habr in Czech) that grow in abundance in the surrounding mixed woodland.

• The memorial to a French officer from the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. It originally stood in the garden of house no. 18 and was moved to the village green in 1970. It now stands in a small park next to the war memorial for the fallen of both world wars.
• The fire station, built in 1928, is the landmark at the heart of the village.
• The Tyrš Orchard, a sprawling fruit orchard on the southern edge of the village. Sports facilities have stood there since 2019.
• Habrůvecká bučina, a national nature reserve protecting a well-preserved beech forest. More in the article National Nature Reserves of the Moravian Karst.

The bell-founder Rudolf Manoušek (1881–1951), founder of the Manoušek bell-founding dynasty, came from Habrůvka.

Josefov and Býčí skála

The hamlet of Josefov lies in the valley beside the road from Křtiny to Adamov. It is surrounded by the Býčí skála National Nature Reserve; see National Nature Reserves.

Býčí skála (Bull Rock Cave) is a cave where the physician and archaeologist Jindřich Wankel began finding traces of prehistoric settlement in 1867. In 1869 the Felkl cousins discovered a small bronze figurine of a bull here, and three years later Wankel uncovered more than 40 skeletons in the cave’s Antechamber, along with a wealth of objects from the early Iron Age. For a long time scholars argued over whether it was the burial of a nobleman with sacrificial victims or a caravan that had been ambushed. A review of the evidence in 2020 concluded that the cave served as a long-term burial ground for Hallstatt elites between 575 and 450 BC, and probably as a sanctuary too.

You cannot normally enter Býčí skála. It opens only on a few summer weekends. Dates and booking details are in the article The Josefov Valley and Býčí skála. You can explore the caves of Jáchymka and Kostelík free of charge.

Stará huť near Adamov (the Old Ironworks) stands in the valley a short distance from Josefov. It is a national cultural monument with a 10-metre-high charcoal-fired Franz furnace and an exhibition run by the Technical Museum in Brno. More in the article The Iron Karst.

Walks and rides

• The Josefov Valley educational trail starts at the signpost in Josefov and runs past caves and rock formations as far as the spring of the Jedovnický potok stream. See The Josefov Valley and Býčí skála.
• Through the Křtiny Valley to Křtiny and the Výpustek Cave, see The Křtiny Valley and Křtiny.
• The Cyril and Methodius Trail passes through the village, running from the monastery at Vranov all the way to Velehrad.
• By bike: Habrůvka lies on the Blansko–Křtiny–Jedovnice circuit, and side routes branch off into the whole of the southern karst.

Where to stay

We were unable to find any accommodation with verified operation in either Habrůvka or Josefov. The nearest options are:

• Křtiny, with its château and guesthouses, see Křtiny.
• Bukovinka, the Rakovec guesthouse and inn, see Bukovina and Bukovinka.

You will find more suggestions in the article Where to Stay in the Moravian Karst.

FAQ

Does Býčí skála belong to Habrůvka? Yes. The hamlet of Josefov, with Býčí skála, is part of the municipality of Habrůvka.

Can you go inside Býčí skála? Only on a few weekends a year, when open days are held. Jáchymka and Kostelík in the valley are freely accessible.

What was found in Býčí skála? A small bronze bull figurine (1869) and more than 40 skeletons with objects from the early Iron Age (1872). According to the 2020 research, it was a burial ground for Hallstatt elites.

Where can you stay in Habrůvka? Accommodation is available in nearby Křtiny and in Bukovinka.

Information verified as of 12. 10. 2026. Sources: a brochure from the Moravian Karst Rural Development Association, the Habrůvka municipal profile; Habrůvka (Wikipedia); Býčí skála (Wikipedia); Habrůvka municipality.

Spotted a mistake or an out-of-date detail? Tell us.