Miskovice and Jenstejn: Booking or info request | Miskovice and Jenstejn: Gallery

Miskovice e Jenstejn
Missiles, Horses and Past in the boundaries of the City

This is one of the most atractive tours for those who don't have much time available and wish to stay close to Prague. Besides, variety is a keyword of this program.

For 45 years, USA and Soviet Union kept a tense relationship. From both sides of Europe - western and eastern - an incredible war arsenal was positioned, ready for the was which fortunately never came. Prague was by then the capital city of Czechoslovakia, therefore, part of "the other side". The country was an important link of the Warsaw Pact, hosting the Soviet headquarters for the Central Army. Czech foreign policy was completely subordined to Soviet Union interests.

With the end of the Cold War and reduction of Defense budgets, many military facilities were abandoned. Amongst them, a network of air defence missile bases around Prague. It was their mission to protect the city against air attacks. Miskovice was part of such system.

This kind of missiles was operative in Miskovice

We reach Miskovice, in the northern end of Prague, using a bus from the city public tranportation company. It will drop us a few hundred meters from the entrance of Miskovice former base. In the short walk to the spot where once the gates were located, we will observe the way people used the withdrawn of the military to cover the area, taking grounds which used to be strictly forbidden. There now stands a multitude of small weekend houses and vegetable-gardens.

The small base was strategically placed, only a few kilometers far from the air force field of Kbely. It was here that a fair number of Soviet military units and support materials were dropped during the invasion of 1968. Nowadays Kbely has a minor operational role, operating helicopters and cargo planes. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Miskovice was deactivaded.

The area of the base wasn't that big. A walk from end to end of the perimeter will take about 300 meters. Still, it was enough to host an efficient force of SAM (Surface to Air) missiles S-125. In the area we will find a few small bunkers, used for storing the missiles, as well as controlling and commanding the operations. We will be able to walk through some of these facilities with the help of a few torches. Although modest and vandalized, these facilities may offer us an idea of day to day life during those times marked by the tension of Cold War, when westerners were definitely the potential enemy for the Czechs.

Despite the neglected aspect, we sill can use our imagination to feel the atmosphere os past days. Crossing the asphalted tracks we almost can see the jeep of the commander passing by, heading for the main courtyard, where the launchers were disposed. One can easily imagine the exercises, the days of tension in the barracks, while Keneddy and Krutschev played their games over Cuba. Or the sentries, walking around the fence, carrying their AK-47. It could be a scene of a Bond movie.

We will enter by the main gate, but we will sneak out by the back fence. Leaving behind the rumour of war, we will cross an extense field, taking afterwarsd an agricultural track which leads us to directly to the "chateau" of Ctenice. This place was mentioned for the first time in the 14th Century. Since then, ownership of Ctenice changed countless times. Nowadays the "chateau" is a place for horse-riding practice, hosting a riding school and two museological exhibits: one display of carriages and coaches and an exhibit dedicated to the Habsburgs dinasty in Czech lands. Visiting these exhibits is not part of our plan, although we may adapt to satisfy our customers requests. Please mention your interest in this alternative when booking.

Using a backdoor we will leave the chateau, passing by the grounds where sometimes beautifull horses may be spotted wandering around. After a short walk we will reach a pictoresque pond, just before we enter the trails crossing the Vinor woods. There, we most certainly will meet a few locals who usually go there looking for some relaxation.

Once we get to the village of Vinor we will take the asphalt for about 2 km. Next stop: Jenstejn. Despite its location, just outside Prague, this small village keeps a quiet rural atmosphere. Right in its middle we will spot the impressive medieval tower, once part of a complete castle built in the 14th Century in Gothic style. By the end of the 16th Century the structure was already in poor conditions but the invading Swedish army had no mercy and in 1641 the Swedes razed the old castle leaving behind the remains that we can now observe. In the tower there is an exhibit dedicated to the history of Jenstejn castle but opening days and hours are limited, which means we are not in position to promise a visit to the insides and to the small museum.

Finally we will sugest a debriefing break in the local pub, where the beer is pretty cheap and fresh - if we find it open, of course. From there we will have to walk back to Vinor, where we will be taking the bus back to central Prague.

Miskovice and Jenstejn: Booking or info request | Miskovice and Jenstejn: Gallery