Quarry Lake Janičův vrch

Since 2014, Janičův Vrch Quarry has been declared a natural monument. It encompasses the entire area of the flooded limestone quarry near Mariánský Mlýn and its immediate surroundings. Janičův Vrch (historically 332 m above sea level) rose to the northwest of Svatý Kopeček, separated only by a narrow pass. After its excavation, rare plants survived here only in minimal amounts. The original rocky grassland with rare and endangered species, such as Linaria biebersteinii, Festuca badensis, Primula minima, and Campanula sibirica, is preserved on the remainder of the western foot, transitioning to a fragment of Centaurea grassland. In the remnants of broadleaf dry grasslands on the former southeastern foothills, species such as Gentianella praecox, Sanguisorba officinalis, and Doronicum austriacum still survive.

The current water surface of the flooded quarry is a significant refuge for piscivorous birds such as Ardea cinerea, Nycticorax nycticorax, Alcedo atthis, and Pandion haliaetus. In addition to the familiar swallows, the quarry is occasionally home to the Tyto alba, the largest owl in our country. The water in the quarry also attracts amphibians; you can spot species such as Rana lessonae or Rana esculenta, and occasionally the Triturus vulgaris and Bombina bombina. Our most common snake, Natrix natrix, feeds on amphibians in the quarry.

The monument is freely accessible. Only during the summer months of June to September is visitor numbers limited to a maximum of 100, and an entrance fee applies.

Zdroj: mikulov.cz/turista/sluzby/chranena-uzemi-a-rezervace/lom-janicuv-vrch