M a r k v a r t i c e

50°24´57,6´´N; 15°12´23´´E; ASL.

East of Mladá Boleslav alongside the route from Markvartice to Hřmenín the remains of
largest Celtic shrines in Bohemia can be found.

The structure having a shape of elongated trapezium has its axis deflected from the north by 112°
in the direction to the sunrise coming from behind Kunětická hora at declination -14,5°.

At that time the beginning of
Celtic year occurs
SAMHAIN (Sou´en) Sam-fuin,
normally on 2nd of November.

Based on the memoirs of Markvartice parson (rector) two entrances were quite distinct in the axis direction back in 1839.

According to research worker F.Táborský the two dikes were destroyed during field pozemků integrating in 1968.

Equinoctial sunrise overhead the volcanic cone Veliš (430 m, 8 km) when looking from shrines´south-east corner, where the remains of the furnance of cult complete with unburned millet were found in 1969-72 by J. Waldhauser during his research work.

With regard to the shrines´orientation and size it is clear the locality represented a calendar center of major significance.
The snapshots were taken on March 21,2000