Česká Kamenice

Česká Kamenice – a city of unpretentious treasures

If you take a trip to Česká Kamenice, you will soon find that you have found yourself in a city full of extraordinary monuments surrounded by beautiful surrounding nature in the form of rocky viewpoints and forested hills. So I invite you to a unique walk, first through the territory of the city’s monument reserve, which consists of up to thirty-six buildings!

The best-preserved historic center of Bohemian Switzerland

Square is truly picturesque. If you go straight to its center, that is, to the nine-sided Renaissance fountain, and look around, you will certainly be attracted by the beautiful burgher houses, dominated by the classicist town hall (No. 219) with the inscription on the cornice of the portal Palladium civitatis – Patronage of the city. Next to the town hall, an original building complex resembling the “twins” (No. 253) confidently rises high – the building of the former “Adler” inn with a remarkable roof structure and a high double gable. On the opposite side, do not forget to visit another burgher house (No. 73), which houses the city information center with friendly service, where, among other things, you can buy a city map with marked monuments and go on a historical exploration of the city. A few meters above the information center and the square itself, there is another rarity of the city – the Gothic-Renaissance Church of St. Jakub Větší. Among other things, Antonín Dvořák played the organ here more than two hundred years ago. In addition to touring the church, you can also climb the 46-meter-high tower, from which you will see the entire historical center of the city as if in the palm of your hand, as well as its pleasant surroundings.

Pilgrimage gem

To be in Česká Kamenice and not visit the architectural gem of the city in the form of the pilgrimage chapel of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary would be a real sin. The highly Baroque central building by architect Octavian Broggia on a circular ground plan with picturesque cloisters and a domed roof from the first half of the 18th century is a beautiful place, full of mysticism and inviting spiritual contemplation. If you treat yourself to a tour of this building, you will discover a statue of the Virgin Mary in the central rococo altar, surrounded by a series of miraculous stories that once brought crowds of pilgrims here…

Back to nature…

Now that we have had enough of the beauty of the city’s historical and architectural treasures, it is time to go out into nature and really breathe some fresh air. For example, the basalt viewpoint with the apt name of Jehla is just under 2 km away from the square, following the blue sign. The path leads past rocks with columnar basalt disintegration, through a shallow depression called Trpasličí pánev, to the protruding viewpoint. From here you can see not only the whole of Česká Kamenica, but also the peaks of the Lusatian Mountains, the Bohemian Central Mountains and the Bohemian Switzerland. On the opposite hill there is another slightly higher viewpoint (530 m above sea level), easily accessible again from the city center in the form of the romantic-looking ruins of Kamenice Castle with a lookout tower on the hill called Zámecký.

Do you know that

…The city of Česká Kamenice is the holder of the title of Historic City of the Year 2005.

… Česká Kamenice is the only place in the Czech Republic where three Protected Landscape Areas border: the Lusatian Mountains, the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and the Bohemian Central Mountains…

…In nearby Kamenický Šenov, you can visit the glass museum, which displays exhibits of mainly engraved and cut glass from the local Bor-Šenov region from the 17th to 20th centuries? Also easily accessible is the Panská skála National Natural Monument (592 m), the oldest protected geological formation in the Czech Republic. Its five- to six-sided regular basalt columns are arranged side by side like pipes in a church organ. Under the rock there is a small lake, which was created in a pit after the rock was excavated and is filled with precipitation. The legendary fairy tale The Proud Princess was also filmed here.

What you should see

City monument zone – there are almost 40 buildings that have been declared cultural monuments. The center of the monument zone is Peace Square with a Renaissance nine-sided fountain and a Baroque statue of the Virgin Mary Immaculate. The most valuable buildings include the Gothic-Renaissance Church of St. James the Elder, the High Baroque Pilgrimage Chapel of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the Evangelical Church, the town hall building, the Salhausen Castle, the Regional Charity building, the building of the former Savings Bank (today the city gallery) and other buildings. Pilgrimage Chapel of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary – a high Baroque central building from the 18th century, whose attractions are the Stations of the Cross located in the cloisters and statues of saints from the workshop of the famous Ferdinand Maximilian Brokoff and frescoes by Ferdinand Brunetti. The pilgrimage chapel is open for guided tours during the tourist season, in July and August daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., out of season, tours can be ordered through the information center. Kamenice Castle on Castle Hill  – a romantic ruin of a medieval castle on a basalt hill (530m). You can reach the Castle by following the green path from the city centre and the journey is about 2 km long. Part of the historical area is a modern wooden lookout tower, which offers unique views of the České Kamenice valley.

What you should experience

We recommend visiting the late Gothic three-nave Church of St. James the Elder and climbing to the top of the former town tower (46 m). As a reward, a magnificent view of the city and its surroundings awaits you. In the Church of St. James the Elder, the young composer Antonín Dvořák himself enjoyed playing the organ during his one-year stay to improve his German. In the season, there is a guided tour of the church. You can find out more at the information center on the square. Take a look at the area of ​​the former underground aircraft factory in Rabštejn near the village of Janská, built during World War II. Take a ride on the historic Kamenický motorbike, which runs between Česká Kamenický and Kamenický Šenov from June to September. Discover the Fraternal Altar – according to folk tales, Catholics secretly met here in the years 1515 – 1614, when the estate was owned by Protestant nobility. On the contrary, Protestant ceremonies were supposed to be held here after Bílá hora. According to other sources, the place was established as a pilgrimage site only in 1867, and in 1887, rich decorations, including statues and a decorated wooden altar, were placed there. After World War II, the place was abandoned, and only in 1993 was the place cleaned up again and a memorial plaque with a relief of the former altar was placed there. The ruined area has undergone a major transformation since the autumn of 2010, when its restoration began. The Stations of the Cross returned to the romantic forest corner, 1 km northeast of Česká Kamenice, the statues were restored, and the staircase was repaired. The restoration of the Altar of the Brothers was ensured by the public benefit society Česká Švýcarsko and the City of Česká Kamenice as part of the project Listen to the Voice of the Countryside.

Where to go on a trip

Česká Kamenice center – rock lookout Žába – Ponorka – Fratsky altar – Česká Kamenice (5 km) From the square, we head north along the yellow Nerudová street past the Pilgrimage Chapel of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, we go around the city swimming pool on the right and continue upwards to the rock formations and lookouts – to Žába and Ponorka. On the route, we pass a sandstone cone, interesting because a memorial plaque to William Tell was placed on it before World War II. Today, all that remains of the memorial plaque is an empty depression in the rock. Just a few steps from this stone is an (as yet) nameless viewing platform with a preserved railing, which is named Joohn-Stein on an old German map. Here too, there is a nice view of the landscape, although it is surrounded on both sides by forested sandstone massifs. We continue along the yellow trail towards the remains of the rock niche chapel of the Holy Trinity, until we reach the end of the circuit – to the area of ​​the Fratrský Altar. Here it is possible to continue along the blue trail towards Líska to Chřibská, or to return around Jehla back to Česká Kamenice. Česká Kamenice – Jehla viewpoint – Líska – Studenec – nature trail Around Studenec – Zlatý vrch – Česká Kamenice (12 km) Follow the blue trail through Jehla, the Fratrský Altar, to the settlement of Líska and below Studenec with the possibility of climbing to the lookout tower. Then follow the red trail to the national natural monument Zlatý vrch (27 m long basalt columns), where you will connect to the nature trail Around Studenec, over Stříbrný vrch back to Česká Kamenice. Česká Kamenice – Zámecký vrch – Kamenický Šenov – Panská skála – Prácheň – Polevsko – Kytlice – Česká Kamenice (14 km) Behind the historical glass, follow the green trail through Zámecký vrch (castle ruins with a lookout tower) to Kamenický Šenov (glass museum) and further to Panská skála (stone organ) in the village of Prácheň. Follow the blue trail to Polevsko and the yellow trail to the cottage village of Kytlice. From there back to Č. Kamenice on foot or by train. Česká Kamenice – Filipov – Srbská Kamenice – Dolský mlýn – Kamenická Stráň – Růžovský vrch – Janská – Česká Kamenice (20 km) Follow the blue trail through Filipov to the village of Srbská Kamenice and to the ruins of the Dolský mlýn. Follow the yellow trail steeply up to Kamenická Stráň with many half-timbered houses. Follow the ascent to Růžovský vrch and the yellow trail descend to Srbská Kamenice, Janská and back to Česká Kamenice.

Cycle routes

The Lusatian Mountains: Česká Kamenice – Kamenický Šenov – Prácheň (Panská skála) – Polevsko – Kytlice – Mlýny – Pustý zámek – Česká Kamenice (22 km) Za malebnou lidovou architekturou: Česká Kamenice – Kunratice – Lipnice – Studený – Rynartice – Jetřichovice – Všemily – Srbská Kamenice – Janská – Česká Kamenice (30 km)

Where to go for sports in the summer

Sports complex Česká Kamenice – possibility of using the sports complex, of which the hostel is a part: floorball, badminton, indoor soccer, volleyball, football, basketball, tennis, ping-pong, handball Municipal swimming pool: open June – August from 10:00 to 19:00. In case of favorable weather, the swimming pool can be used at the end of May or even at the beginning of September and use can be extended until 21:00.

Where to go for sports in winter

Polevsko – you can ski in the Polevsko ski area between Medvědí and Polevský vrch, where there is a 400 m long ski lift (poma), and a racing and tourist slope. Also in Horní Světlá pod Luží, where there is artificial lighting. For cross-country skiers, there are maintained cross-country ski trails near Polevsko, Kytlice and Luže. We will provide you with further information at the Information Centre.