The Little Pravčice Gate and Šaunštejn

The Little Pravčická Gate is the smaller “sister” of the famous Pravčická Gate and is one of the unassuming yet picturesque natural formations in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park; it has the advantage that you (probably) won’t have to fight your way through crowds of tourists here, on the other hand, it’s not that far to the big Pravčická Gate, so you can plan your route to visit both gates.

This is a natural sandstone rock arch—a formation created by the natural weathering and erosion of soft sandstone. Although it is much smaller than Pravčická brána (it is about 2.3 meters high and has a span of around 3.3 meters), it has its own unique charm and magical atmosphere.

The gate is set in a beautiful forest landscape and is easily accessible on foot. It is located near a popular hiking trail between Mezní Louka and Vysoká Lípa, specifically along the red hiking trail.

A tip for conquering both Pravčice GatesQR-BUS_Vysoka-Lipa_Saunstejn_Mala-Pravcicka-brana_Vyhlidka-Fenix_Pravcicka-brana_BUS

BUS – Vysoká Lípa – Šaunštejn – Malá Pravčická brána – Fénix Lookout – Pravčická brána – BUS

  • Map: here
  • Length: approx. 15 km
  • Duration: 5–6 hours at a leisurely pace
  • Náročnost: středně těžká (převýšení cca 500m, několik výšlapů, většinou pohodlné stezky)
  • Transportation there: from Decin or Krasna Lipa BUS 434, to the stop“Jetrichovice, Vysoká Lipa, rest.” (all year round)
  • Transportation back: to Decin or Krásná Lípa BUS 434, from the stop“Hřensko, Pravčická brána” (all year round)

  • A picturesque and peaceful place – Unlike Pravčická brána, there are far fewer tourists here.

  • Great view – Above the gate there is a rock lookout from which you can enjoy a beautiful view of the surrounding forests.

  • Easy accessibility – Located about 1.5 km from Vysoké Lípa, it is a pleasant stop on the route to Hřensko.

  • Interesting geological formation – It shows the processes of sandstone weathering on a smaller scale than Pravčická brána.

  • Nearest starting points:Vysoká Lípa, Mezní Louka.

Milstein

Another rock gate can be found in northern Bohemia, a little further east in the Lusatian Mountains.

The Milštejn rock gate is made of metamorphosed rocks – specifically phyllite or schist. This is quite unusual because most of the natural rock windows and gates in the Czech Republic are formed in sandstones.

This gateway is actually a schistose rock window in phyllite rock (sometimes referred to as crystalline schist), and was formed by mechanical weathering and disintegration of layered rock, not by typical sandstone erosion.

Shaunstein

A short distance (about half a kilometre) from the Small Pravčická Gate we can find the rock castle Šaunštejn, also known as Loupežnický Castle. This remarkable rock formation towers above the village of Vysoká Lípa and offers not only a glimpse into history, but also unforgettable views and a dose of adrenaline during the climb.

Rock castle Šaunštejn sunset (photo: Radek Liška)

A little history

Šaunštejn was probably built in the 14th century as a guard castle, which was supposed to protect the land trail leading from Bohemia to Germany. Due to its location on a rock massif, it was difficult to access and served as a refuge not only for border guards, but later also for various robbers – hence the nickname Robbers’ Castle. Today, all that remains of the original castle are carved spaces in the rock and traces of former wooden structures that give a clue to how it was once lived here.

The road to the castle

Šaunštejn can be reached by following the red hiking trail from Vysoké Lípa, an approximately 1 km long route through the picturesque forest. The climb up the rock massif itself is not entirely easy – narrow iron ladders and rock steps await you, but with a little care most visitors, including children (under supervision) from about 6 years of age upwards, can manage it.

A view that’s worth it

For the effort during the climb you will be rewarded with a beautiful panoramic view of the landscape of Bohemian Switzerland – in the distance you can see Pravčická Gate, Růžovský vrch or even the table mountains on the German side of the border. Šaunštejn is an ideal place for lovers of photography, romance and quiet contemplation of the landscape.

Shaunstein is not the only one!

The Czechoslovak Switzerland (especially its Czech part) is full of mysterious remains of rock dykes, which once served as guarding points, refuge for smaller crews – and according to legends, also for robbers. North of Jetřichovice you will find the Falkenštejn castle. Not far from Kyjov is Kyjovský hradek, near Doubice is Chřibský hradek and on the way from Brtníky to Kyjovský údolí you will find Loupežný hradek.

And a few more tips:

  • Admission: free

  • Suitable season: spring to autumn (in winter it is accessible, but can be dangerous due to ice)

  • Footwear: we recommend sturdy hiking boots

  • With children: yes, but with supervision – the ascent is very steep in places

  • Dogs: they can manage the route to the castle on a leash, but the actual climb up the rock is unsuitable for them