Fortified settlements

With the transition of humankind from hunter-gatherer livelihoods to agriculture, there came the need to protect homes against possible attackers. In the Stone Age barriers were created around the first settlements to protect them from the uncontrolled access to the settlement. In the Bronze and Iron Age ingeniously planned defensive constructions, various fortified settlements and sanctuaries which we call settlements were built. Surrounding grounds were used for settlements and they often emerged at the tops of the hills which were protected by steep slopes and promontories of rivers. These fortified sites not only served to local residents but in case of war threat as a hiding place to the other members of the tribe. Only with the arrival of the Dark Ages the fortresses became the seat of the social elite and a number of them were rebuilt into the first stone castles.

A ditch and an embankment-wall are typical fortifying elements of the old fortress often in several rows. Unlike the stone castle only front clay wall was built from stone which was often interspersed with or hardened by wooden structures. At the top of the mounds and sometimes even in the front of ditches a protective palisade stood. The gates were an important point of fortification often very sophisticatedly built.

After by fortifications protected settlements there remained various preserved remains. In Hradecko Region at least 32 fortified settlements of different periods were documented and explored mostly from the Bronze Age and the time after the arrival of the Slavs, which is even called "the period of fortified settlement." A great many of fortified settlements ceased to exist during constructions of medieval castles (Opočno, Potštejn, Náchod), or the gradual transformation of the medieval town (Jaroměř, Hradec Králové, Nové město n. M.). Češov in East Bohemia is one of the largest preserved fortresses in Central Europe. Even nowadays its walls reach many meters above and give an impressive view. The impression is enhanced when we remember that the huge masses of earth and stones had to be moved manually with primitive tools only.

Other interesting sites include Kal or the fortified settlement in Ostroměř. The half of the fortified settlements in Hradec Králové Region is located in the Bohemian Paradise, which completes the shamrock of historical tourist objects chateaus – castles – settlements.

Češov

Češov fortified settlement have always attracted attention for the massiveness and the length of its fortification. It is one of the best preserved fortified settlements in Bohemia. Fortifications on a total of 53 hectares consisted of several external and internal walls which further separate the space. The mound of the external wall is still of a respectable height of about 11 meters, the trench below is 2-3 m deep. Originally a prehistoric fortress was settled and rebuilt by Slavs. It is said that it had served as a border tribal fortress of East Bohemian Charváti against Zličani. Today the site is best accessible from the village where information boards can be found. On this side an enormous size of fortification becomes well apparent.

Prachovské rocks

In the grounds of the rock city there emerged a complex with the proof of Slavic settlement which included the range of fortified locations. The system of fortified settlements used a very rugged terrain and the relief of sandstone rocks. The extensive fortification system was connected to rocks, the important passages to rocks were blocked by beams. Starý Hrádek was the dominant fortified settlement in the central part, the other fortresses were for example Plecháč, Přední Točenice or the fortified settlement Na Vrších. Prachovské sedlo (Prachovské seat) was fortified very well, it protected the access from the south-east by its mounds. The fortification was formed not only by simple embankment but directly by the wall with the wooden slatted construction which was supplied by the stone wall from the external side.

Markvartice – Šance

Southeast of Markvartice there is one of the few explored localities of quadrangular moulds´ type built by Celts. The function of such mounds was probably cult and gathering. It also had a paleoastrological importance. Moulds in Markvartice had been built at the site from where it was possible to observe the vernal and autumnal equinox directly above the top of Veliš which dominates the surrounding landscape. From the original fortifications only the south mould remained well-preserved, it is over 3 meters tall. At the fortified grounds there were found traces of exhibition buildings and evidence of cult activities performing.

Vesec u Sobotky – Poráň

The fortified settlement Poráň is interestingly situated on a distinct rocky promontory towering up to 40 meters above the valley and the creek Klenice. Perpendicular sandstone cliffs surround the area of the settlement area from the northern, western and southern sides. The eastern side is the only accessible on which it was necessary to build fortifications, which consisted of two embankments completed by the ditch. Fortifications were used in the Bronze Age by Celts and subsequently by Slavs. By visiting the historical sites you may make the stay in the natural reserve in the Plakánek valley even more attractive.

Kal - Vala

Close to Pecka castle, south of the village Kal, the ruins of a massive settlement remained at the distinct promontory hill with a significant finding of the Avar origin objects. A fortified area occupied peaks named Vala and Hradiště and reached the size of over 30 hectares. The fortified settlement is best accessible from the north where at the place of the original gate it is situated the entrance to the central area of the vast complex. In the northern part of the hill Vala there are the best visible remains of the impressive fortifications, formed by a moat and a rampart with a front stone wall. On the other sides the fortification was less distinct. The peak plateau is naturally well protected by steep cliffs, with an elevation difference of up to 100 m. The castle site was built in the Bronze Age and later rebuilt by Slavs.

Ostroměř - Hradišťko

On the promontory above the Javorka River, on the eastern edge of Mlázovický hill, in the second half of the 9th century it was built an extensive (30 ha) fortified settlement as one of the seats of Slavník family of Charváti. It was inhabited until the 12th century as evidenced by an archaeological research which found the number of housing facilities in the form of embedded and log cabins. The massive fortifications with a 16 m wide moat and up to 10 m high rampart are best preserved on the west and north-eastern side. Inside the fortified settlement at the highest point there is a smaller fortified interior space, so-called Acropolis, now defined by remnants of ramparts with a moat. The wall of the acropolis which probably used to be an aristocratic residence was originally about 2.5 m wide with a stone wall on the outside.

Konecchlumí - Hůra

A small fortified settlement protected by a rampart and a moat is located on the west end of the gradual Hořice hill. Findings date it to the Older Iron Age and to the Celtic cultural circuit (Hallstatt). The most significant remnants of fortifications had been preserved on the west and particularly on the eastern side, where there is an apparent moat and the remains of the rampart reach the height up to 1,5 meters. The settlement is situated slightly above the Konecchlumská mound – the William Konecchlumský monument who was executed at the Old Town Square in the 1621.

Nové Město nad Metují

Already from the original name of the town – Hradiště nad Metují (note: hradiště = fortified settlement) it is obvious that it emerged at the place of a former prehistoric fortress. The city was systematically founded in 1561 on the high promontory above the meander of the Metuje River on the ruins of the fortified settlement, coming from the Bronze Age. Another settlement of the Silesia-Platenickyculture have survived until today in the form of a moat and a 6-metre rampart only about half a kilometer east of the present town centre. The rampart from the front side was reinforced by the stone wall of local materials – marlstone.

Habřina – Prašivka and Neznášov

Close to Habřina settlement there are the remains of two fortified settlements from two different periods. East of the village the fortified settlement is situated in the locality Prašivka from the earlier Hallstatt Age. A flat hill on an area of almost 2.5 hectares was fortified by the rampart with a palisade wall. Another Bronze Age settlement used to stand on the hill Vražba north of the village. The rampart was dumped above the steep slopes falling to the stream Hustířanka. Another fortified settlement was supplied with the palisade of vertical and inclined stakes. The area of the former acropolis later took up the medieval castle Neznašov (Rotmberk).

Hradec Králové

On the hill northeast of the confluence of the Elbe and Orlice River at the location of present old town there was built a fortified hilltop settlement already in the Stone Age. Fortifications were then again used and rebuilt in ancient times. The settlement reached its heyday in the Bronze Age when it reached the size of 12 ha. It is considered to be the centre of the Lusatian culture. The fortification consisted of a moat and a rampart with a palisade, later from the embankment strengthened by the wooden construction. At the time of the Slavic fortified settlement the area was refortified by the wall with a slatted construction and marlstone wall at the head. The area of the former settlement, however, completely superimposed the construction of the medieval town in the 13th century and later the Baroque fortress.