Slezská Harta – Reservoir, Cycling and Volcanic Landscape

Slezská Harta between Water and Volcanic Landscape

Slezská Harta combines water, volcanic remnants and the history of a flooded valley. The reservoir was built on the Moravice River between 1987 and 1997. This creates a destination where round trips, cycle paths, educational trails and cultural monuments offer different focal points for a stay. The combination of water, volcanic remnants and historical themes makes Slezská Harta a place with distinctly different types of excursions.

Boat trips are offered on the Slezská Harta Reservoir, visiting interesting places and bays and providing information about the history of the reservoir. The Santa Maria is a replica of an old wooden sailing ship and offers a one-hour guided trip across the reservoir.

Water Activities and Cycling

Yacht lessons and the rental of cabin sailing boats have been offered on Slezská Harta since 1998. The Rouza ferry crosses the reservoir between Roudno and Razová. Water sports, fishing and walks in nature are also possible.

The cycle path at Slezská Harta is an eleven-kilometre asphalt route between Razová Bay and Leskovec nad Moravicí. Cyclists can see bays, the Jeseníky Ridge with Praděd and the surrounding volcanoes. The Slezská Harta Bike Marathon began in 2010 and is considered a traditional sporting event in the region.

Educational Trails and Remembrance

The volcanic educational trails around Slezská Harta are approximately 25 kilometres long in total and include around 18 information boards, including three entrance boards with a panoramic map. The educational trails around the reservoir include around 15 information boards and 10 rest areas.

The Zatopené osudy educational trail tells the stories of the people who once lived in the valley that was flooded during the construction of the Slezská Harta Reservoir. It was inspired by a documentary programme of the same name on Czech Television. The Zaniklé osady educational trail passes the Baroque Church of St Lawrence, which stands on the shore of the reservoir.

Swimming, Nature and Culture

The VN Slezská Harta – Leskovec nad Moravicí bathing area has an approximately 100-metre-long grass beach with a gradual entry into the water. The bathing water quality at this monitoring site was rated excellent for the period 2019–2022.

The nearby Razovské tufity protected area preserves exposed tuffite outcrops in an abandoned quarry. The Razovské tufity are an exposed remnant of the Velký Roudný basalt complex. The Vápenná pec lime kiln was built from coarse basalt in 1912, restored in 2001 and opened to the public.

The local history also includes the ruins of the Chapel of the Archangel Michael on a hill, as well as its registration as an immovable cultural monument in the Bruntál District under number 8-3901.

For your further choice of locations: Milotice Nad Opavou, Bílčice, Moravskoslezský Kočov, Leskovec Nad Moravicí, Krnov, Bridlicna, Horní Město, Zator.

For the broader travel overview: Bruntál District.