The Komorní Hůrka National Nature Reserve is a cultural and historical phenomenon of global importance. After having been documented in 1773 as an extinct volcano by the prominent natural scientist Ignaz von Born, it became a destination point of frequent excursions by the visitors of Františkovy Lázně and science experts as well. The inconspicuous hill attracted attention at the beginning of the 19th century, culminating in a dispute between Neptunists and Plutonists. According to the Neptunists, rocks and the Earth´s surface were formed by the forces of ocean waters and volcanoes by the burning of coal seams. The Plutonists regarded the origins of everything to be associated with hot magma and the volcanoes as lava flows from the Earth´s interior.
Komorní hůrka, view from the southwest (Palliardi)
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe became involved in the scientific dispute regarding Komorní Hůrka as well and suggested to follow up on the unsuccessful excavations for coal with an exploration of the interior of the hill employing mining methods. The work was sponsored by Caspar von Sternberg and it was not until 1837, therefore after Goethe´s death, that the main lava canal was discovered, thereby vindicating the plutonists. A portrait relief of J. W. Goethe and a stone portal at the site of one of the adits commemorate this period. Komorní Hůrka together with Železná Hůrka belongs to the youngest Bohemian volcanoes, which formed between 100-500 thousand years ago. Its body is mostly composed of loose volcaniclastic deposits, which were used in the past for construction purposes and also, among other things, for the maintenance of the park paths in Františkovy Lázně. Today, the gravel pit is covered with grass giving it a crater-like appearance. It became an important botanical site due to the presence of a unique warm and dry microclimate. Undoubtedly, the most well-known plant species here is the Green-winged Orchid (Orchis morio), which is a critically endangered plant species in the Czech Republic.
Photo 1: Vintage postcard. Condition circa 1900.
Photo 2: Renovated Šternberk adit
Photo 3: Former quarry for volcanic slag, often mistaken for a crater
Photo 4: Plan of exploration adit (Palliardi)
Note: Anton Alois Palliardi: Der Kammerbühl, ein Vulkan bei Kaiser Franzensbad, Eger 1848