Luká: Discover Javoříčko, Špraněk and the Karst

Luká combines village history with a karst landscape. The village square is home to the Baroque church; the Javoříčko Memorial and the exhibition in the former school recall the past. The Špraněk National Nature Reserve, the Javoříčko Caves and several educational trails complement the cultural focus with nature and outdoor activities. You can combine shorter and longer experiences.

Village Square, Memorial and Remembrance

The present-day Church of Saint John the Baptist was built in 1734 on the site of an older church. The Javoříčko Memorial is a national cultural monument and commemorates the tragedy of May 5, 1945. It stands directly above the mass grave of the victims and features an over-life-size group of six figures. The former school next to the memorial houses a modern exhibition about Javoříčko before its destruction and the wartime events of that period; the Javoříčko educational trail begins there.

Karst Landscape at Špraněk

The Špraněk National Nature Reserve lies in the western part of Luká’s cadastral area. It may be entered only on marked paths. The Špraněk educational trail leads through the reserve on a limestone hill. The Javoříčko Caves lie in the Devonian limestone of Mount Špraněk and extend across three underground levels. They are open to the public and are characterized by rich stalactite formations and a complex system of passages, chasms and domes. Of the more than 3.5 kilometers of passages currently known, 788 meters are open to the public.

Educational Trails with Different Focuses

The differences between the educational trails are clear: The Javoříčko educational trail is one kilometer long and includes nine stations. It passes newly marked foundations of former burned-down houses. The Špraněk educational trail is five kilometers long, begins and ends in Javoříčko, and leads through the Špraněk National Nature Reserve. Along the way are the collapsed Zátvořice borehole, Svěcená díra Cave and Zkamenělý zámek. Between Bouzov and Javoříčko, the Bouzov educational trail runs through the Javoříčka stream valley and past the Panské rybníky ponds. It has seven stations, some of which offer covered seating with views of the landscape. Another five-kilometer-long route around the Panské rybníky ponds is intended for pedestrians and cyclists.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Stay

If you are looking for accommodation in Luká, you can consciously choose the focus of your stay: The village center represents the church and village square, Javoříčko the memorial, exhibition and remembrance, and Špraněk the karst, caves and longer routes. The route lengths help you compare excursion plans without turning the individual destinations into a single circular route.

Discover more places at this level in Tršice, Tovéř, Mladějovice, Hlásnice, Velká Bystřice, Horka Nad Moravou, Loučany and Komárov.

For the higher-level travel overview: Olomouc District.