Alone on a trip to the Czech Paradise Nature Reserve. National Park Czech Paradise. Travel expenses
Those who love the cliffs, forests, lakes, plains, fresh air, ancient towns, those who like hiking and cycling should go to the Czech paradise. Ideally, you should go to Bohemian Paradise for 2-3 days, rent a good bike and wear comfortable shoes to see the natural and architectural sights of this protected area.
Czech Paradise: how to get from Prague on your own
There are three ways to get to Bohemian Paradise: by train, by bus or in Prague. I decided to go by train with Prague to the city of Turnov. Schedule of trains can be viewed on the website idos. with z . Scheduled in column”Odkud”(where) it is necessary to write -Praha hl.n. and in“Kam”(where to) -Turnov in the column "Datum ač as ”indicate the desired date and time with06:00 then press ”Hledat”(Search). Tickets can be bought at the box office of the Main Railway Station. I decided to go non-stop so as not to get lost, and the only direct train to Turnov leaves at 07:25.
Online idos. with z You can see the bus schedule to the city of Jicin( Jičín), buses depart from the Če Most Bridge Bus Station (Černy most), which is located at the metro station of the same name (yellow line B). Direct buses - at 06:40 and 07:30.
I admit, I did not quite understand where I was going, of course, I read various information about the Czech Paradise on the Internet and in the reviews of tourists. I outlined the places that I want to see and visit, but how I could get to them I had little idea. I arrived from Prague to Turnov at 09:15 and went to look for an information center, but I couldn’t find it, then I asked a woman on the street how to get to the Prakhovskie RocksPrachovské skály), she advised to get to Borek. I returned to the station and to Borek. Two hours were left before the train and I went for a walk along Turnov.
Turnov is the capital of the Bohemian Paradise. The city is famous for the fact that there are workshops for processing gemstone - pomegranate, so jewelry with pomegranate can be bought here cheaper than in other cities of the Czech Republic.
Walking around the city, I only saw the sign to a couple of times, but these signs did not lead me anywhere, in the end I saw the high spiers of the church and went in their direction. And so I wandered around the city, trying to approach this church. It was not easy, because the city is very hilly, the city is at a glance, then apart from the nearest building, nothing is visible. As a result, I ended up near the Church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, it is the largest neo-Gothic church in Europe. In the courtyard of the temple there is a cemetery, there is a monument to Russian soldiers.
On the way to the station, I foundinformation centre . There they gave me a map and explained that I would not see the Prakhovskie Rocks, because I had to go to Jicin, they gave me advice not to go to the Borek station, but to the stationHrubá Skála because this station is closer to the castle and the rocks.
Rough Rock is an ancient castle and mountain range. When I got off the train, I went right towards the Gruba Skala castle(zá mekHrubá Skála), on the road, if you look to the left, you can see one of the main attractions of the Bohemian Paradise - Troská Fortress, where I will go later.
The road to the castle leads through a small, well-groomed village of Dubrovnitsa, on the way to the castle you can go to the store, then I did not meet any shops along the way. Then I saw that the road was forked, I chose a country road and did not regret it at all. The road leads to a forest, in which among the trees are high cliffs. Do not be afraid to get lost in the forest, there are signs everywhere.
As a result, I saw a passage in the rock, through which two people could hardly part. This path led me to the Gruba Skala castle. Be sure to go into the castle courtyard to see the stunning panorama of the surrounding area, from here you can see how the tops of the rocks rise above the forest. There is a church, a restaurant on the territory of the castle, the castle building itself has been turned into a hotel, in which beautiful wedding processions are sometimes arranged.
From the terrace of the castle you can see the Trosky fortress, where I went on foot, having only direction. I asked the locals several times, they suggested the way. An hour later I was already near the fortress.
Trosky Fortress is a symbol of the whole Czech paradise. The fortress consists of two towers "Virgo" (the highest tower) and "Baba" (grandmother), which are built on two adjacent rocks. It is believed that the fortress was built in the middleXIVcentury. For a long time the fortress was impregnable for enemies, but during the Thirty Years War the Swedes almost completely destroyed it, only two towers and one wall between the rocks remained. After that, the fortress was not remembered untilXIXcentury.
Guided by the map of the area, the one that was given to me in Turnov, I walked towards Jicin. I can say one thing - walking to Jicin in one day is very difficult, and maybe completely impossible. But I went. Both forest and field, following the signs that are everywhere in the Czech Paradise.
I didn’t get to Jicin on foot, I was very tired, I had to get on the bus that I saw in one of the villages of Bohemian Paradise. Such buses travel every hour from Turnov to Jicin, but I found out about this later. In the city, I immediately went to the railway station, which is located near the bus station. Having bought a ticket to Prague, I went for a walk around the city.
Czech paradise(Český ráj) - This is a protected landscape area, which is located in North Bohemia,. It offers many opportunities for hiking and cycling. Bohemian Paradise got its name in the nineteenth century because of its picturesque landscape in the foothills of the Mighty Mountains (Krkonoše Karkonosze), and its many castles and fortresses were built in beautiful areas with sandy cliffs. In 1955, it was the first nature reserve in the former Czechoslovakia. This reserve is known as a very popular destination for tourism since the beginning of the 20th century.
Czech Paradise National Park is located not far from, 100 kilometers to the north-east. The word "paradise" was simply coined by people to describe the nature of this place. The story of the origin of this miracle is a fairy tale that adults read to their children at night.
Bohemian Paradise is an area with a very interesting geological evolution. The geological basis provided the soil with rich natural diversity, as well as human settlements and agriculture. There are only a few places in the world where you can find such a wide variety of geological phenomena and where it plays such an important role in shaping the environment. Distinctive sand formations of the Bohemian Paradise were created as marine sediments of the Cretaceous period. Later, the landscape was complemented by volcanic activity, which also brought in many of the gems that the region is famous for. There is a long tradition in the jewelry industry, which consists in the use of famous Czech rubies.
Bohemian Paradise: Getting there
The biggest cities of Bohemian Paradise are Turnov (Turnov), Joshin (Jičín), Nova Paka (Nová Cancer), Semily ( Semily) and Iron Wade ( Železný Brod). They are connected to Prague by trains and buses, which run approximately every 2 hours.
The fastest way by car is via the "R10" ("E65") motorway (about 80 kilometers) in the northeast direction from Prague to Liberec ( Liberec) through the city of Mlada Boleslav (Mladá Boleslav) and Turnov. The road “E442” (“R 352) leads through Bohemian Paradise from Hradec Králové (Hradec Králové) through Joshin to Turnov and further through Liberec.
Buses from Prague to Turnov, Zhelezny Brod, Iisin, Nova Paka depart from the Florenc bus station and from the Prague station - the Black Bridge ( Černý Most).
Czech Paradise: Lifehacks
The Bohemian Paradise region is divided by a dense network of bicycle tracks that pass through the most interesting sights of the reserve. On some trails, in winter, you can ski. There are many color codes for hiking trails that divide trips into short ones (one hour) and long ones (all day). A small portion of the sites in the rocky areas includes steep climbs, but most of the tracks are safe even for families with small children. Gisera River (Jizera) Great for canoeing. In the spring on the Kamenitsa rivers (Kamenice) and Oleshka (Oleška) you can see sailing ships.
Restaurants, pubs, supermarkets and shops are in all cities of Turnov (Turnov), Joshina (Jičín), Nova Paki (Nová Cancer)Semily (Semily) and iron ford (Železný Brod)as well as in small villages along the main routes. Many castles and fortresses have buffet and souvenir shops on their territory, and the largest of them (Sychrov fortress (Sichrov) and Rough Rock (Hrubá Skála)) also have their own restaurants.
Self-catering is not allowed in the protected areas of the Geopark, as well as in sand caves. However, there are many public campsites in the Bohemian Paradise area, for example, the most famous Sedmihorki camping site, which is located about 6 kilometers from Turnov towards Jisin and Hradec Králové (road “E442”), just below Gruba Castle Rock.
Bohemian Paradise is a beautiful Czech reserve located 50 kilometers northeast of the capital. The main city is Turnov. This place is an example of a harmonious fusion of picturesque nature, an amazing flora and fauna, with a variety of historical monuments: castles, ancient fortresses and ruins.
Since the 19th century, the region began to be called the Czech Paradise. The main attractions of the park are rocky sandy cities, the Trosky fortress, located on two adjacent rocks, and the castle of Costa. In the foothills of the Podkrkonoshye there are deposits of precious stones: garnet, jasper, agate, amethysts, etc.
Since 1955, the territory has been protected as a reserve, and since 2005 it has the status of a European geopark.
Prakhov Rocks
Prachovskie Rocks (Prachovsk sk & aacute ly) - one of the most popular places in the Czech Republic, the name of the rocks came from the word "prach" (which means "dust") - because of the dust covering everything around the rocks. They received the status of a reserve back in 1933 and at present it is carefully guarded by the state. However, any tourist has the opportunity to admire the virgin and amazingly beautiful nature of the Prahovskie Rocks.
Prahovskie Rocks are located in the eastern part of the city of Czech Paradise (Č esk & yacute r & aacute j) - this is a rocky city, which stands on the remainder of the sandstone platform. Rocks located in the reserve have the most diverse and bizarre shapes. At the height of the season, a huge number of tourists come here to conquer this or that mountain.
What sights of the Bohemian Paradise did you like? Next to the photo area there are icons, by clicking on which you can evaluate this or that place.
Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is located in the tourist town of Turnov in the north of the Czech Republic. It represents an architectural structure belongs to the artistic and national historical shrine of the Czech Republic. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This temple is rightly called the temple of light. The main difference of this structure is - large windows, which at that time were considered unprecedented in the Czech Republic. The architectural decoration of the cathedral combines the Cistercian emphasis on length and poverty, as well as Gothic majesty.
The cathedral is distinguished by high arches, smoothly passing in the choir into the medieval part. Gothic stained-glass windows, the number and size of which are pleasantly surprising, bring the temple a certain cosiness and tranquility. Near the choir and behind the altar you can find the passage with a crown of chapels.
The grace of the whole device carries to the aboveground expanses. At first, the Gothic sanctuary, which was burned in the 15th century, was rebuilt into a cathedral in the style of Baroque Gothic, this was done by the hands of the famous Czech designer Jan Blazhe Santini. Every lover of dark Gothic can find an outlet here and enjoy the melancholy atmosphere of the building.
Kost Castle is located on a sandy cape in the Bohemian Paradise National Park. It was built in the form of a fortress in the first half of the 14th century in the Gothic style. Around the castle there are two ponds: White and Black, which were built for the purpose of defense, since having destroyed the dam, the castle became difficult to access.
There is a legend according to which the origin of the name of the fortress is supposed. During an unsuccessful siege, the Hussite commander Jan ижižki exclaimed: “This castle is solid like bone, and only a dog can eat it!”
Nowadays, the castle often becomes the place for the set of films and fairy tales. Festivals, fairs, knightly fights and other cultural events are held here.
Mouse hole
A rocky corridor in the hole of the Hruboskalsko mountain - Gruboscale, equipped with a staircase and leading to the top, is called a mouse hole. The passage is so narrow that it was compared with a mouse hole. Previously, this place was called the ravine of the dwarves, but the people still call it the staircase of angels.
The staircase was built on the initiative of Prince Ferdinand Kinsky, who had a manor in these places. Visitors to the Bohemian Paradise have been fond of the mouse hole since the 19th century, as the princess’s stone plaque depicting the crown recalls, which was placed here in memory of the visit of Princess Vilyamina Kinski in 1849.
Rock cities
The rocky cities in the Czech Paradise are natural monuments that are represented in the national park by groups of cliffs of bizarre shapes. The largest and most famous of them are: Prakhovsky, Rough, Small Dry Rocks.
Prakhovskiy Rocks since 1933 have the status of a reserve. The rocky region unites about 200 stone columns, which are intertwined with tourist routes that run along the lower "corridors" of rocks, and along their ridges. There are many viewing platforms. In this area are the ruins of the fortress of Parges.
Rough rocks - an accumulation of majestic rocky "towers", reaching a height of 55 meters. According to various legends, a number of rocks were given names, for example, Dragon Rock, Lighthouse, Devil's Hand, Sahara. Between the columns, steep canyons and valleys stretch; here is the rocky gorge Mouse hole. One group of rocks is located in the middle of the Vezhitsky pond.
Small, Dry and Boretsky rocks are extraordinary in their forms, stone gates, windows, overhanging rocks that were formed by ancient geological movements are represented here.
Gruba Castle Rock
Gruba Skala Castle got its name thanks to the mountain sand massif on which it is located. This is one of the main attractions of the Czech Paradise National Park. The renaissance castle of Gruba Skala was laid in the middle of the 14th century, after a fire in the 18th century it was reconstructed in the Neo-Gothic style.
The castle is a three-wing building with a rectangular courtyard inside. In the palace area, the parish church of St. Joseph, the home of the priest and the forge.
A hotel, restaurant and conference center are currently open inside the castle. For visitors, an observation deck is available in the castle tower, which offers a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside of the national park. In the summer, the park organizes entertaining historical programs.
Brewer and inn "Detenice"
In the inn “Children’s House” you can taste medieval dishes cooked on an open fire, eaten by hand, and excellent black and light beer, which has been brewing here according to a unique recipe from the 18th century. Visitors are served by waiters dressed in medieval costumes. Medieval traditions and customs are respected here, which is why the staff has a tough, old Czech language. One must be prepared for the fact that people here are not used to courtesies and there may be enough harshness in relation to visitors - such is the spirit of the Middle Ages. Every day, except Sunday and Monday, exciting shows are held in the “Children’s House”. The audience is entertained by dancers on tables, comedians, fencers, fakirs and beggars, and here you can also see the burning of witches and throwing knives into a living target. This tavern will undoubtedly appeal to thrill-seekers.
Paradise on earth exists. And he is in the Czech Republic. It is worth going to those who love nature and history. Discover the unique harmony of majestic fortresses and castles, bizarre rock cities and clear lakes, dense pine forests and ancient towns.
Paradise on earth exists. And it is located in the Czech Republic, fifty kilometers from Prague to the North-East, where the Jizera River flows. The landscape in these parts is heterogeneous, cliffs rise here and there, forming whole rocky cities and castles of bizarre shapes, formed from sandstone by millennia-old weathering processes. The creations of human hands merge with these rocks, which either tried to hollow out dwellings in these rocks ("Drabskie Svetlitsy") or attached fortress walls to them (Trosky Castle).
Since ancient times, precious stones have been found here - jasper, chalcedony, amethysts, agates, people have learned to process them and to this day jewelry art is a traditional occupation of local residents. They are generally capable of crafts, inhabitants of the Bohemian Paradise. Wooden toys of Semil carvers, Zheleznodorodsky glass products, Lomnitsky crackers, Turnov products from pomegranate and precious stones are known and popular all over the world.
What to see in the Czech Paradise?
Why Bohemian Paradise?
Since 1955, the Czech Paradise (Český ráj) became the country's first protected natural reservation. The name itself, by the way, appeared recently - that is how the guests of the health resort Sedmigorki called this area in the 19th century, admiring the beauty of these places. Artistic, literary and intellectual elite of Prague often came here in search of inspiration. And, probably, they found, just called the area the Czech Paradise. This name stuck among the local population, and then even became official for the whole tourist region, in which many natural attractions are complemented by architectural monuments and various folk art. People settled here for a long time - archaeologists unearthed traces of human settlements, which are about 100 thousand years old.
Since 2005, the UNESCO Geopark has been established in the region - an extremely valuable natural area is now seriously protected.
Sights of the Bohemian Paradise
And the places are really beautiful. Peaks of rocks rise above the coniferous forest, many of which have hiking trails and observation platforms.
Ropes
The symbol of the whole area, the hallmark of Bohemian Paradise, is the ruins of the old (Hrad Trosky): fortress towers were erected on two adjacent rocks, and fortress walls were built between the rocks. Once this fortress had an impregnable glory, but over the past three hundred years it has turned into ruins, which, however, have the glory of the most mysterious place in the Czech Republic.
The territory of the Czech Paradise is a triangle between the cities (Mladá Boleslav), (Turnov) and (Jičín). Trosky Fortress is located between the towns of Jicin and Turnov.
Rough Rock
Zámek Hrubá Skála Castle
Rough cliffs are a cluster of majestic rocky columns between which there are romantic valleys and steep canyons. Some people called rocky groups, there are various legends and legends associated with them. (Zámek Hrubá Skála) is located on top of two rocks at an altitude of about 60 m above the Libunka River, from where a magnificent panorama opens. A lot of fairy tale films were shot in the castle. And if you want to feel like a royal woman and spend a few romantic days in a real castle, then the hotel, which is located in the castle, will welcome you.
Prakhov Rocks
Closer to Jicin, the main rocks are concentrated, forming picturesque labyrinths, where bizarre rocks are so intertwined with forests that they appear to be a real labyrinth, where animals and birds live. This area, which is most popular among tourists, is called (Prachovské skály). Here you can wander for a long time, marveling at the incredible natural creations. On the northeastern edge of these cliffs there is a beautiful system of lakes - Inolice Lakes (Jinolické rybníky): also a natural attraction.
Cost
It would seem that paradise is here only for those who like to climb rocks. But no - here you can ride a bicycle and swim on the steamboat along the river, and lie down on the beach - there is (Máchovo jezero) for this. And you can just wander through the forests, pick up mushrooms.
Entertainment center Babylon
And who likes modern relaxation - welcome to the “Babylon”, quite modern (Centrum Babylon Liberec). Here, Luna Park, and a water park and casinos and artificial caves, in which concerts are held and, of course, shops, restaurants, discos and more for those who like to relax outside of nature.
Winter in Bohemian Paradise
Czech paradise in winter
In winter, in the Bohemian Paradise, popular ski resorts with slopes of varying difficulty open. Here you can ski and take interesting excursions, which is a rather rare place where you can relax and see a lot.
And you can see here not only rocks. There are also towns - ancient, very beautiful. There are several ancient castles on the territory of the reserve, which are definitely worth a look. Nevertheless, the Czech Republic is not without reason considered a country of castles, and not just beer!
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Czech Paradise is a nature reserve with an area of \u200b\u200b181.5 square kilometers, located in the north-eastern part of the Czech Republic between the cities of Mnichovo and Hradiste. Since 2005, this region has been considered the center of the UNESCO European Geopark.
Harmony of nature and architecture
Hundreds of millions of years ago, the territory of Bohemian Paradise was a seabed covered with volcanoes. Over time, under the influence of the sun and wind, a unique landscape has formed here, consisting of deep gorges, bizarre cliffs, intricate caves, crystal clear lakes, dense forests and flowering meadows. People also put their hand to this magnificence - they built castles, fortresses, citadels and founded cities.
The modern panorama of the Bohemian Paradise is a spectacle unique in beauty, representing a harmonious combination of the grandeur of nature and man-made masterpieces. The reserve is home to many species of animals and plants: eagle owls, herons, bats, mouflons, roe deer and so on. Of great interest is the geological structure of the region: there are deposits of rare minerals and precious stones.
Bohemian Paradise is an ideal place for active tourism. There are hundreds of hiking and cycling trails in the reserve. Having overcome the difficult path through the rocky labyrinths and stairs carved in stone, you can get to one of the observation platforms and enjoy the unique view, and then refresh yourself in Lake Makhovy and relax on its beach. There are a lot of ecological centers in the reserve, including children's ones.
Rock miracles
Among the natural riches of the Bohemian Paradise, it is worth highlighting the rocky cities, which are characterized by the nobility of the Gothic, the frivolity of the Baroque, and the pretentiousness of the Rococo.
The main attraction of the region is the ancient sandstone platform, dissected by canyons, valleys and cliffs. Here you can find many rocks in the form of pillars with corners, crevices and peaks, as well as dozens of viewing platforms. In one of the rocks, the castle of Parezh has been cut down.
Another popular tourist attraction - Rough Rocks - a group of stone columns more than 50 meters high, which are interspersed with steep canyons and picturesque valleys. Some clusters of rocks have their own names: "Sahara", "Lighthouse", "Mouse hole" and so on. Sandstone pillars “sprouting” from the lake look very unusual.
The pearl of the Bohemian Paradise is the Small Rocks, Dry Rocks and the Vranovsky Ridge formed from the remains of an ice block. Beseditsky rocks with labyrinths and Bozhkovsky caves with the largest underground lake in the country are no less attractive. The Boretsky rocks with unusual stone gates and windows, as well as dozens of other natural phenomena are also impressive.
Architectural masterpieces
Not only ecotourism lovers, but also connoisseurs of architectural beauties should go to Czech Paradise. In local rocks and cities there are a large number of historical buildings.
The ruins located near the town of Rivne-under-Trosky are considered to be a universally recognized symbol of the region. This original structure, dating from the 14th century, consisted of two towers under the names "Baba" and "Virgo", erected on the peaks of two tall cliffs and united by a fortress wall. Today, as a result of fires and a warrior, only ruins remained from the tops of which there is a stunning view of the Czech Paradise.
Not far from Jicin, you can see another famous attraction of the reserve - stone Gothic, built in the XIV century. For several centuries of its existence, this impregnable stronghold practically did not lend itself to reconstruction, due to which it has survived to its present day in its original form. Now the castle has a museum and festivals are held.
In addition, in Bohemian Paradise you can visit the Gruba Skala Castle, built on top of the mountain, the former robber's nest - Walshtein Castle, the oval hunting Humprecht Castle, Gruby Rogozes - the castle in Turnov, which has rich interiors and an unusual park, Baroque palaces in Jicin and Mnichovo- Gradiste, as well as many, many other interesting places.
