Srbská Kamenice

The village, located in the valley of the Kamenice River, was probably founded in the 11th century by colonization by the Slavic Sorbian population, as its name suggests.

The dominant feature is the Baroque church of St. Wenceslas on the hill above the village, the original buildings are evidenced by the stilt houses.

At the northern end of the village begins the third of the romantic rocky canyons of the Kamenice River, the Srbskamenická gorge. Unlike the Edmundova and Divoká gorges, it is inaccessible. In the past, its upper section, formerly called Ferdinandova gorge, was used for boating, and it was possible to sail all the way to the Dolský mill. The gorge was named after the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Franz Ferdinand D’Este, who personally visited the gorge.

What you should see

Church of St. Wenceslas – the foundation stone for the current church was laid on July 15, 1772 and was completed in 4 years. The altar and bells were transferred from the original church, which stood on the site of the current cemetery in the 14th century. The first mass was celebrated on September 28, 1776. The church contains a valuable Rococo altar. A major reconstruction of the church took place in 1993–95.

Relief of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary – a relief from 1701 is carved on the rock wall by the road below the cemetery.

Statue of St. Peter – near the entrance to the church, comes from the attic of the church of St. Peter and Paul in nearby Růžová.

Růžovský vrch (619 m) – a massive basalt cone of volcanic origin, sometimes also called Děčínská Fujiyama. The slopes are covered with basalt rubble, in some places a columnar detachment of basalt is visible (the so-called Ice Well). Previously, there was a restaurant with a lookout tower on the top. Today, it is a mature beech forest, with no view.

Viewpoint above the lake – an open cave in the rock massif – the so-called war house. Access was only possible by lowering from above on a rope through a narrow rock crevice. It served as a shelter for the inhabitants during the Thirty Years’ War. Only in 1896 did the Srbské Kamenice mountaineering association make this place accessible by cutting out 26 steps. The path behind the Vesna guesthouse leads to the lake.

Arba Nature Reserve – a large meadow in the valley of the Kamenice River. The subject of protection here are animals and plants associated with meadows and springs. It is one of the most important wetlands in the region.

You know that…

…On January 26, 1972, a Yugoslav Airlines plane crashed near Srbská Kamenica, flying from Stockholm to Belgrade? Twenty-two-year-old flight attendant Vesna Vulovičová miraculously survived the accident. Although seriously injured, she survived the largest free fall ever from a height of 10 kilometers. The tragedy was apparently caused by the explosion of a bomb hidden in the plane’s luggage compartment. However, the perpetrator of the accident, which killed 27 passengers and crew members, is still unknown. The crash is commemorated by a monument on the road between Srbská Kamenica and Nová Oleška.

…some time ago they built a rare nature trail through the village. The individual stops were painted by the local painter and artist Ivo Švejnoha, who added wooden elements of a children’s playground to the information boards, which you simply must see, signposts and welcome signs on the outskirts of the village. The trail is constantly being extended, branched and is currently being worked on extending it along the Kamenice River, also thanks to the significant assistance of the Labské pískovce Protected Landscape Area.

Where to go for culture

Since 1995, an international music festival of classical and sacred music has been held every year in August and September in the local church of St. Wenceslas.

In the summer season, a rock theater operates here…. You can always find the current program on the municipality’s website or inquire about it at the local seasonal information center.