Welcome to our guide to Bilá Hora Prague, which includes the site of the famous Battle and the fine Baroque monastery nearby.
The 1620 Battle of Bilá Hora – also known as White Mountain – was as devastating to the Czechs as the Battle of Hastings was to the English. It led to them being under the Austrian Imperial yoke for almost three centuries.
It turned out that they had lost their independence from the early stages of the Thirty Years War (in 1620) all the way to the end of World War I (1918).
In our Bilá Hora guide we explore the small battlefield site and the early 18th century monastery and church built to commemorate the Catholic victory there. We also advise on how to get to Bilá Hora Prague, and places to see nearby.
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Why Visit Bilá Hora Prague
Bilá Hora has a pivotal place in Czech history – indeed Central European history.
It was the setting of one of the most important battles of the 17th century, and one which condemned Bohemia to 298 years as subject to the Austrian Empire.
There is a small memorial to the Battle on one of the undeveloped parts of the battlefield site.
And there’s also an ornate Baroque monastery built by the descendants of the victors to commemorate – or perhaps more appropriately, celebrate – the Austrian victory.
You can reach Bilá Hora on Prague tram 22, one of the most enjoyable tram rides in Prague, seeing several Prague sights along the way.
You could also make a day of exploring the western Prague suburbs, visiting some of the nearby Prague parks while in this part of the city.
Bilá Hora History – The Battle Of White Mountain
Bohemia had a long Protestant history, going back 200 years to the Hussite Wars of the early 15th century.
The Bohemian Revolt – and what was to become the Thirty Years War – was sparked by the election of the Catholic Ferdinand II as King of Bohemia in 1617.
Many prominent Bohemians preferred the Protestant Frederick V of the Palatinate. When two representatives of Ferdinand were thrown from a window in Prague Castle – the Third Defenestration of Prague – hostilities broke out.
After conquering much of Western Bohemia, Ferdinand’s Catholic League forces met with the main Protestant army. The Catholic League / Imperial forces were made up of soldiers from as far afield as Spain, France and Germany.
The Bohemian Estates forces fighting on behalf of Frederick V were led by Christian of Anhalt. Both armies numbered around 20,000 troops, and both were exhausted and demoralised before meeting on the battlefield.
This was at Bilá Hora, known in English as the White Mountain. The name makes it sound far more dramatic than it is – a gentle upland ridge.
On 8th November 1620 an advance party of Catholic League forces attacked the larger Bohemian army, who surprisingly retreated. The Catholics sent reinforcements and their cavalry caused further retreats. Many of the Bohemian infantry retreated when they saw they were being encircled by the Catholic League cavalry.
The Battle of Bila Hora was short – lasting between one and two hours. It was a catastrophic defeat for the Bohemians, who lost somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 men.
Ferdinand II quickly imposed his authority, and Frederick V and most Bohemian nobles fled. The Austrian authorities executed 27 of the leaders of the revolt on Old Town Square Prague – the 27 crosses below the Old Town Hall Tower commemorate this.
And so began what Czechs came to regard as their Dark Age.
What To See at Bilá Hora Prague
Bilá Hora Monastery
When you arrive at the Bilá Hora tram loop, you’re a very short walk away from the ornate Monastery of Our Lady Victorious. Don’t confuse it with the church of the same name in Malá Strana Prague which houses the famous Infant Jesus of Prague statue.
A chapel was built on the site a few years after the Battle of Bilá Hora, but this eventually fell into disrepair and decay. Between 1704 and 1729, the church was rebuilt and the site expanded into a monastery with cloisters and additional buildings.
The initial impetus for the restoration came from Bavarian stonemason Michael Hagen. His work was followed through by Heinrich Klinegleitner and Christian Luna, who is believed to have painted the many frescoes in the complex.
There are also several side chapels, of which only one was open when my son and I visited. This contained a glass reliquary with what appeared to be a skeleton elaborately dressed, and the inscription ‘St Feliciani’ above.
Bilá Hora Battle Site
Much of the battlefield has been built over (mainly with housing) but some of it remains untouched. If you walk along the perimeter wall of the monastery, then turn right across the small garden at the end, you’ll reach the signpost pictured.
Within 50 metres, you reach some overgrown (it was when we visited) open ground. Turn left here, and continue around 100 metres until you reach a footpath leading to the right.
Follow this path for around 150 metres. It leads to the Memorial, a stone cairn on a small rise with a bush and a couple of trees around it.
Just down from the cairn, there’s an information board with Czech text on one side and English on the other.
You can appreciate the extent of the battlefield, which included the star-shaped Hvězda Palace a few hundred metres to the north. Many of the Bohemian casualties were inflicted there.
Where Is Bilá Hora Prague
Bilá Hora is in the western suburbs of Prague, 8 km (5 miles) west of the city centre.
How To Get To Bilá Hora Prague
We recommend travelling to Bilá Hora on the Prague 22 tram, which travels across the Vltava river, past Prague Castle and some of the finest churches in Prague including St Nicholas Church in Malá Strana, and the stunning Baroque Břevnov Monastery.
You can also get to Bilá Hora Prague by tram 25. This runs across the city via the suburbs of Libeň and Holešovice before passing through the main hub at Hradčanská. It then follows the same route as the 22 tram from the Marjanka stop onwards.
Places To Visit Near Bila Hora Prague
Bilá Hora is at the end of two tram lines, and is close to another two termini of Prague tram lines. Both of these are close to two of the best parks in Prague, and if you’re up for a hike, you could visit these and Bilá Hora on the same day.
Trams 1 and 2 terminate at Sídliště Petřiny, which is close to a former royal forest and hunting ground, Obora Hvězda Prague. Towards the western end of the park, and from Bilá Hora, you can see the remarkable star-shaped Summer Palace (Letohrádek Hvězda). It was built in the 16th century by Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria, between 1555 and 1558.
The Bilá Hora battlefield extended as far as the Summer Palace, which is only a few hundred metres from the Bilá Hora memorial as the crow flies. The Palace houses a permanent exhibition on the Battle of Bilá Hora, and there’s a great café open outside during the spring and summer.
Divoká Šárka is 1 km north of the Hvězda Palace, at the terminus of the 20 and 26 trams. This dramatic, wild rocky valley is a world away from the city, with some wonderful hikes, and even a couple of rock scrambles. There are also some great cycle routes and a lake and two pools to swim in during the summer.
For a very different experience, I suggest stopping by at the wonderful Břevnov Monastery, which is on both the 22 and 25 routes. The monastery was founded by St Adalbert in 993 AD, making it the oldest foundation in the Czech Republic.
What you see now dates from the 17th and 18th centuries, the fine church of St Margaret (Sv Marketa in Czech) one of the most beautiful Baroque buildings in Prague. There’s also a brewery on site which is as old as the monastery, and over a millennium they have honed their craft to something close to perfection.
Their Břevnovsky Benedikt is one of the best two or three beers in the Czech Republic, one of the best countries in the world for beer. You can enjoy a drink in the atmospheric medieval cellar or eat (reservation strongly recommended) at the restaurant, Klášterni šenk.
Bila Hora Prague – Final Words
It doesn’t take long to visit Bilá Hora – you could comfortably see everything in an hour – but it’s well worth the trip.
The tram journey is fantastic, the monastery is a Baroque beauty and the Battle was one of the most important of its era in Europe.
We recommend a short visit to Bilá Hora, possibly including it in a suburban Prague itinerary also taking in the two neighbouring parks.
David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.