Svatý Jan pod Skalou
Monastery
The dominant feature of the village is an impressive massifs of the rock wall, which at its highest point rises 150 metres above the monastery and thus dominates the entire surroundings.
The legend of St. Ivan tells of a 9th century hermit who came to the Berounka River valley and settled in a cave. His name was Ivan and he was a very pious man. He prayed every day and helped people in the area. One day St. John the Baptist appeared to Ivan and told him to build a church. Ivan obeyed and built the church. The church was dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and became a place of pilgrimage.
In the cave where Ivan lived there is now a chapel dedicated to him.
In 1949, a forced labour camp was established here, which became infamous for its cruelty. People who were inconvenient to the communist regime were interned here, including tradesmen and businessmen such as Bugatti car chassis builder O. Uhlík and Zdeněk Klika, who had an MG dealership.