Mikulov - a walk from the historical square to Svatý Kopeček (Holly Hill)

Mikulov - a walk from the historical square across the Svatý Kopeček (Holly Hill)

The Holy Hill in Mikulov is one of the most remarkable landmarks of the town. It is not only a nature reserve where you can find some of the endangered species of flora and fauna but it is also an important pilgrimage site for its Way of the Cross. The Holy Hill nature trail is made up of 11 stops with information panels (4 of which are also the starting points) which introduce you to the unique flora and fauna of this nature reserve, as well as the history of the Way of the Cross at the Holy Hill. There is a total of 20 places across the nature trail. Part of the way to the top of the Holy Hill you will be lead by the Way of the Cross, which is one of the oldest Ways of the Cross in the country. It consists of 14 chapels (stoppings) and also the Chapel of St. Sebastian, a bell tower and the Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre, which are at the top of Holy Hill. The nature trail then continues to the lookout above the mined out limestone quarry. Here you will also get a view of the nearby ruins Děvičky, or the Stolova Hora (Table Mountain) at Pálava.

The entire trail follows on to another one of the Mikulov nature trails - In the Footsteps of Baptists.

Route description:
Mikulov - Square (tip: chateau, Dietrichstein tomb) → Svoboda street → Novokopečná street - the starting point of the nature trail (NS) and the Way of the Cross (information panel) → 1st stop of the NS (panel The Way of the Cross to the Holy Hill in Mikulov with information on individual chapels of the Way of the Cross) → 2nd stop of the NS(panel Flora and views of Mikulov) → 3rd stop of the NS (Chapel of St. Sebastian - learn about the history of the pilgrimage site and of the origin and history of the chapel and the bell tower) → 4th stop of the NS (The Holy Sepulchre and care for the nature reserve - information about the origins and history of the Holy Sepulchre and you can also learn about the forest management practices in the nature reserve Holy Hill) → 5th stop of the NS (Fauna and forest management) → 6th stop of the NS (limestone mining and the life in an abandoned quarry - history of the quarry, view of the surrounding countryside) → return to the panel no. 5 → 7th stop of the NS (Broukoviště (beetles) and the inhabitants of the dead wood - besides the panel you will also find a habitat for insects or if "timber depot") → Bezručova street (starting point of the NS Holy Hill, the connecting NS In the Footsteps of Baptists) → streets 1. kvetna → Wolkerova → Pavlovská → Brnenska → Lorm Square (tip: Kozí hrádek (Goat Castle), Jewish monuments)