A forested highland separating three major Czech river basins, preserved as one of Bohemia's most ecologically valuable protected landscapes.
Přírodní park Džbán
Přírodní park Džbán is one of the larger protected landscape areas in the Czech Republic, established in 1994 across the districts of Louny, Kladno, and Rakovník. It occupies a prominent forested highland that sits between the heavily industrialized North Bohemian brown coal basin and the Kladno-Rakovník coal basin, functioning as a green island of preserved countryside within an otherwise heavily affected region.
The park's defining geographic role is that of a major watershed divide: the Džbán ridge forms the natural triple divide between the Vltava, Berounka, and Ohře river systems, making it the source area for numerous streams in an otherwise largely treeless agricultural landscape. Roughly two-thirds of the park is forested, with a mix of deciduous and mixed woodland that harbors rare orchids, thermophilic plants, amphibians, reptiles, and a diverse breeding bird community.
Beyond its ecological value, Džbán carries substantial cultural and historical weight. The ridge once served as the ancient frontier between the Lučané tribe and the Prague Duchy, the area contains notable hillforts and medieval castles, and a famous Celtic stone head was discovered at Mšecké Žehrovice near the park. The protection of its opuka plateau landscape, scattered greenery, old orchards, and characteristic architecture remains the core purpose of the park today.
