Through the landscape of the Gratzen Mountains with a polyhistorian, Count J. F. A. Buquoy

Nature-philosophy in the first half of the 19th century

Author: Lenka Ovčáčková

Ilustrations: Kristýna Adámek Mlynaříková

Audio/Voice: Gabriel Andrews

This trail stops at selected places in the Gratzen Mountains to present not only the wealth of natural-philosophical ideas of the polyhistorian, Count J. F. A. Buquoy (1781–1851), but also to highlight the incredibly broad range of this thinker’s interests in connection with the natural sciences, from both a theoretical and practical perspective. This private scholar’s fascination with mathematics, physics, chemistry, botany, physiology, zoology and other natural sciences and economics also found practical application in the construction of the first wooden steam engine in Bohemia, in the production of unique hyalite glass and in the establishment of Žofínský prales, the first European nature reserve. The trail can be completed on a bike in just one day; it takes two days on foot.

0. Introduction | audio for play
1. The former Buquoy glassworks – Černé údolí: 48.6982069, 14.6726128 show in Live Map | show in Mapy.cz | audio for play
2. The life journey of Georg Franz August von Buquoy – Lesovna Žofín: 48.6751475, 14.6934656 show in Live Map | show in Mapy.cz | audio for play
3. Buquoy’s inventions – on the road to the virgin forest: 48.6580819, 14.6845311 show in Live Map | show in Mapy.cz | audio for play
4. View of the Žofínský virgin forest: 48.6603792, 14.7008203 show in Live Map | show in Mapy.cz | audio for play
5. Friendship with Johann Wolfgang Goethe – journey from the virgin forest to Stříbrné Hutě: 48.6404644, 14.7135031 show in Live Map | show in Mapy.cz | audio for play
6. Production of hyalite glass – Stříbrné Hutě: 48.6378339, 14.7184383 show in Live Map | show in Mapy.cz | audio for play
7. Buquoy’s journey to Paris – view of Hirschensteiner Berg: 48.6317225, 14.7195700 show in Live Map | show in Mapy.cz | audio for play
8. Buquoy’s naturphilosophical ideas – Pohoří na Šumavě: 48.6039831, 14.6965339 show in Live Map | show in Mapy.cz | audio for play
9. Buquoy’s work in Prague – below the summit of Kamenec: 48.5860194, 14.6712958 show in Live Map | show in Mapy.cz | audio for play
10. The naturphilosophical writings of Count Buquoy – the summit of Kamenec: 48.5851392, 14.6696556 show in Live Map | show in Mapy.cz | audio for play

Sources and literature: see the original Czech version

Review: Karolína Pauknerová

English version: Lucie Nováková, Magdalena Pehalová, Alex Aylward

Project: Ministry of Culture Czech Republic, NAKI II DG18P02OVV065

Researcher: Faculty of Science, Charles University / Live Map

Production: Science IN, s.r.o.

Sound: Bystrouška Studio of Sound