Kaštanka facts for kids
Kaštanka is a special forest in the Czech Republic. It is famous for having some of the highest-growing chestnut trees in central Europe. You can find it in a small town called Nasavrky. This town is in eastern Bohemia, about 25 km south of the city of Pardubice.
History of Kaštanka
The story of Kaštanka began in the late 1700s. A man named Jan Adam von Auersperg returned from Italy with six young chestnut trees. He ordered these trees to be planted on the north side of the Nasavrky hill. This happened between 1776 and 1778. These first trees were the start of Kaštanka.
Over time, the number of trees grew a lot. By the early 1900s, Kaštanka had over 110 trees. On December 1, 1990, Kaštanka was officially made a nature monument. At that time, it had more than 138 trees.
One of the very first trees planted still stands today! It was named "Knížák" to honor Prince Auersperg. The chestnut tree has become a very important symbol for Nasavrky. Since 1996, it has been the main design on the town's emblem and flag.
About Kaštanka
Kaštanka is a protected natural monument. It was declared a special protection area on December 1, 1990. The group of chestnut trees is located on a gentle slope that faces north. This area is very close to the town, only about 100 meters from the main city square.
Kaštanka sits at an altitude of 472 to 486 meters above sea level. The entire area is about 1.088 hectares in size. Almost all the trees in Kaštanka are chestnut trees, except for a few different types of trees found at the edges of the forest.
Kaštanka's Inspiration
Kaštanka has been a source of inspiration for many artists. Painters, sculptors, and writers have all created works based on this beautiful forest. Some writers, like Marie Doležalová and Alois Stanislav Novák, have even written novels about Kaštanka.
Artists such as Věra Vovsová, Jiří Poláček, and Karel Pavlík have also found ideas for their art from Kaštanka. Vovsová once shared how Kaštanka inspires her:
I have Kaštanka in front of my atelier windows. It is great inspiration in winter is without leaves and all covered in snow.
It is all green and fresh in spring. But mainly in fall. I go to park and pick up chestnut from ground and later I paint it.
But the chestnut must by in case. We are calling it ježek (hedgehog)—Věra Vovsová
