Unique experiences at the Old Gasworks

Anyone wishing to discover Hřensko as a remarkable village built in a narrow rocky gorge where the little river Kamenice flows into the mighty River Elbe will have to resist the summer crowds streaming back and forth from the car parks to Pravčická brána, or to the gorges for boat trips and back again, and explore Hřensko at a leisurely pace.

Take your time and keep your eyes open – this is an interesting experience that can culminate in something truly extraordinary and unlike anything you’ll find anywhere else. Especially if, whilst on such a stroll, you’re driven by hunger, thirst or the need for accommodation, and you don’t want to fall prey to all manner of greasy spoons or run-of-the-mill hostels.

About five hundred metres from the banks of the Elbe, if you stick to the houses lining the right-hand side, you’ll come across an inconspicuous turn-off into the rocks. This will quickly lead you to an open space in front of a narrow rock crevice, into which is built… How on earth can I put this and even begin to capture the extraordinary nature of this building? Is it perhaps an elven or hobbit house? Are we somewhere in Tolkien’s Rivendell? Is it a miniature replica of a medieval castle?

This house will take your breath away, because – you can be sure of this – you’ve never seen anything like it in your life. The reality is, admittedly, far more prosaic than the fantastical images the building conjures up, but it’s still captivating and extraordinary. The house was built in 1905 as only the third acetylene plant on Czech territory. It was, in fact, a power station where acetylene was produced for public lighting.

‘The house was built in 1905 as only the third acetylene plant on Czech territory.’

In the specific case of Hřensko, twelve houses were connected to the gasworks. As acetylene was extremely explosive, the gasworks was built into a narrow ravine between two rock massifs. That in itself is remarkable. But when we add the building’s unique architectural appearance to the mix, we stand before it in silent awe. It’s a bit Art Nouveau, a bit Romantic Historicism… no, you simply have to see it for yourself. And you can, because the building has for some time been known as the Old Gasworks and is now a popular restaurant and guesthouse.

In the warmer months, the restaurant’s terrace invites you to sit outside in front of the building. Once you step inside, you’ll be just as amazed. The restaurant’s interior has a steampunk feel; you’ll be struck by the massive clock on the wall, whose large cogwheels mesh dramatically to announce, hour after hour, just how much of the day has already passed. Vernov-style machine sketches, historic distribution boxes, a pressure gauge, a hand-crank telephone and an American stove repurposed as a unique light fitting – all of this will transport you to another world.

The food here is marvellous. You certainly won’t feel as though anyone expects you to wolf down a hot dog on the fly and rush off. Here, gastronomy is cultivated, and that calls for peace and tranquillity. Before long, you’ll be overcome by curiosity about what the other floors of this elven palace might look like. There, you’ll find a triumph of practicality, as every space – however irregular – is put to good use. The guesthouse rooms are charming, unusual, but above all cosy and comfortable.

The highlight, however, is the room in the turret. Here, you’ll feel as though you’re inside the dome of a lighthouse. Unparalleled, truly. Naturally, there are no lifts or wide staircases here – to get from room to room, you must climb narrow miller’s stairs, which further enhances the unique genius loci. Put simply – an experiential stay unlike any other.

It’s probably already clear to you that, on top of all this, it’s a supremely strategic location. A yellow-marked rock trail literally winds its way round the walls of the gasworks, climbing up to the village of Janov and the lookout tower, from which you’ll have both Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland at your fingertips. Hřensko’s two greatest gems are literally within walking distance – the Kamenice Gorges (Edmundova and Divoká) – as well as one of the wonders of the world, Pravčická brána. Just two kilometres further on lies the starting point for the most beautiful rock formation in Saxon Switzerland, the spectacular Schrammsteine.

On the banks of the Elbe, a ferryman awaits to take you across to the other side, from where it’s not far to the breathtaking Saxon table mountains. What’s more, trains on the National Park Railway stop here, so you can easily reach virtually all the key starting points for exploring Bohemian-Saxon Switzerland to the full.

There is one warning, however – if you’re afraid of ghosts, don’t sleep in the Old Gasworks on a full moon. That’s when the restless spirit of a worker returns, a man who died here shortly after the gasworks came into operation and was buried in the cemetery not far above the gasworks. His superiors were afraid of getting into trouble, so they forged the death certificate to prevent it from coming to light that he had died in connection with gas production. Acetylene wasn’t produced here for long – only until the early 1920s, when the dangerous acetylene was quickly replaced by convenient electricity.

It’s wonderful when exceptional buildings are brought back to life. The acetylene plant had a long wait. It was worth the wait. When you come here for a good dinner or spend a few days here, you’ll appreciate it for yourselves.