You are welcome lovers and admirers of beautiful Czech Switzerland on pages of Jetrichovice and its surroundings

= IT MEANS THAT THE TEXT IS NOT TRANSLATED FROM CZECH TO ENGLISH YET.

GERMAN VERSION

CZECH VERSION

Jetrichovice county Group of recreational villages and hamlets Jetrichovice, Rynartice, Všemily, Srbská Kamenice (Wendish Kamenice), Stará (Old) and Nová (New) Oleška is mostly situated in romantic Jetrichovické rocksides, which are full of many various out-look formations (Rudolfův kámen /Rudolph´s stone/, Vilemínina stena /Vilemína´s wall/, Mariina skála /Maria´s rock/ and others). In Srbská Kamenice begins the third gorge of river Kamenice - Ferdinand´s gorge (named after archduke Ferdinand d´Este during his visit of this region, and who on that occasion gone a bit along the riverflow), and it ends by Dolský mlýn. Here and there it´s neccessary to skirt the river pass by the rocks or to cross a stream. North-east of Jetrichovice there is much-frequented tourist destination "Na Tokáni" (former hunting log-cabins of Kinský´s princes), south-east of Jetrichovice is situated rocky valley of river Chribská Kamenice named Pavlino údolí (Pauline´s valley). Popular recreation area are the Olešské lakes in Stará Oleška.
MAPS OF JETRICHOVICE SURROUNDINGS	USEFULL LINKS RELATED WITH JETRICHOVICE
TOPOGRAPHY SCHEDULE WITH DESCRIPTION OF LOCALITIES AROUND JETRICHOVICE
CULTURE LIFE OF JETRICHOVICE AND CZECH SWITZERLAND - MUSEUMS, MUSIC PRODUCTIONS, CELEBRATIONS AND OTHERS
WINTER IN CZECH SWITZERLAND

Why "Bohemian (Czech) Switzerland" ? Designation of local region si already more than 200 years old. In the year 1766 two Swiss artists - engraver Anton Graff (18.11.1736 in Winterthur - 22.6.1813 in Dresden) and painter Adrian Zingg (1734 in St. Gallen - 1816 in Dresden) - came from Switzerland to Dresden, in order to teach at local artistic academy. Their freetime they employed to trips into surroundings of Bohemian-Saxon frontier, where they made many paintings and engravings of natural beauties (some of them we can see in Dresden galleries). They were so excited from landscape, that they refused to return to Switzerland with justification, that they found their "Switzerland" there. Since 1785 denomination Saxon Switzerland is already common. After origin of indenpendent Czechoslovak republic in 1918 name Bohemian (Czech) Switzerland arose for local part of whole region too.

History of region The oldest archeological finds - evidence of settlement of region - are dated into epoch of mezolit, so they are about 10 000 years old. These finds are mostly flint´s tools and chaffs, that were discovered below overhangs in depth around one meter. Till today were discovered 4 mezolit´s settlement localities. Next clues of primeval settlement originated from the bronze epoch, when landscape was colonized by people of Lusatia´s civilisation. In the years 1500 to 700 B.C. people firstly change considerably country-side and nature of this place, because they need new expansion for life. Slavs have been coming during the 6th century A.D., when they have settled valleys of rivers Kamenice and Chribská Kamenice and when they deforestated surroundings of present municipalities Chribská, Srbská Kamenice, Všemily, Oleška, Ceská Kamenice. Face of ground started to change radically during the 13th century - during the re-colonization mainly by German population. Colonization advanced in the 14th and 15th century, when villages enlarged, number of residents increased and almost all castles were builded up. New villages are grounded also after 30-years war - Kyjov, Vlcí hora, Snezná. Textile industry developed in whole region. Past WW2 overwhelming majority of German population had to leave behind this land, in which 6 centuries lived and worked. Current number of fixed population (without holiday-makers) achieves here and there even 1/10 pre-war stage (for example Rynartice...). Frontier fortification Hrensko-Studenec In 1938 the outflow of river Elbe from Bohemia in Hrensko constituted solid standby of left flank of defence of Northern Bohemia and at same time westernmost point of line Odra-Labe, that formed backbone of whole czechoslovak defence. Natural bars were fortified by light fortification. Continual lines of light fortification (sporadically even in several sequences) pass off in close proximity of borders and they defended flank army emplacement on the river Elbe and they locked all entries to Bohemia from north. Much attention was paid to entries from "Šluknovský" and "Frýdlantský" hooks. Both hooks were released from direct defense in order to lead the light fortification more effective and wise along mountain ridges, that separate both hooks from Bohemia.

THE HISTORY OF REGION

FRONTIER FORTIFICATION AROUND JETRICHOVICE

Historic monuments in region In the village Jetrichovice there is baroque church of st. Jan Nepomucký and big health resort for children from the beginning of 20th century, numerous relics of village architecture, rocky chapels and little chapels (Všemily, Rynartice), God´s torments; above Srbská Kamenice towers the church of st. Václav, by the way in Srbská Kamenice there is rocky frieze with representation of Coronation of the Virgin Mary. In the wood by Rynartice you can discover so-called Dwarfish caves with reliefs and rocky sculptures of dwarfs from the end of the 19th century... Rocky redoubts Near the Jetrichovice there are grounds of rocky redoubt (castle) Falkenštejn (Falcon stone) (from the 13th and 14th century). In the year 1428 Zikmund from Vartemberk bought the Kamenice´s dominion with Falkenštejn. He appointed Mikš Blejketa for the captain of Falkenštejn, who then very often plundered near-by Saxony and Lusatia. The territory north-east of Decín was settled partly till meridian Middle Ages. In the 13th and 14th century many redoubts grew up in the local woods, on which dwelt clerks of the nobility and administrators of domains. Past the 30-years war the castles ceased to perform their function and they became refuge for vagabonds and deserters. Still today we can visit their rests.

HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

ROCKY CASTLES

Hiking in region Initial point for trips to most-visited part of Labské sandstones is Hrensko, it lays on the confluence of the river Elbe and small river Kamenice. Limber storage and raftman´s tavern are mentioned already in 1445. From Hrensko we can go to the most famous attractions of Labské pískovce (Elbe´s sandstones) - to Divoká souteska (Wild gorge) and Tichá souteska (Silent gorge) or to Pravcická brána (Pravcická gate) - the biggest sandstone bridge (arch) in Europe - (height 16 m, width 26 m). Today this place is interwove with hiking paths, that bring us to all interesting places. For example we can mention residues of rocky castle Šaunštejn (Watch stone or Robber´s castle) and Falkenštejn (Falcon stone), Růžový hrbet (Rosy crest) - wonderfull out-look to the valley of the river Elbe, Kyjovské údolí (Kyjov´s valley) with castles Kyjovský hrad castle (Kyjov´s castle), Vlcí hrádek (Wolfish castle) on the river Krinice or half-timbered houses in Vysoká Lípa. Don´t be afraid if you become hungry on the trip - because whole region is fullfilled with taverns, restaurants, hotels and pensions and they will care of you. Proof of care of visitors is fact, that already in 1826 stood under Pravcická gate simple barrel-house. And pay attention on robber-knights ! On the end of the 18th century woke up an interest about beauties of Czech-Saxon Switzerland. At the beginning came here only travelers, poets, romantic painters or scientists, who then propagated his high reputation. Turning point for this region was opening of Edmunds´s (today Silent) gorge on the 4.May in 1890. To the opening preceded manifold attempts to drift the river on the rafts. In those days this behaviour was holded for sheer madness. It was Edmund Clary-Aldringen who permited the opening of gorges and river-transport with punts and therefore the gorge of river Kamenice was named after him. He initiated many other activities for promotion of tourist activity too - constructing of bridges, hewing steps in rocks, constructing of top arbours on viewpoints etc. Poor local population set about a new opportunity and thus new proffesion of mountain guides came into existence, new hiking paths were laid down, hotels and restaurants grew up.
TOURISTS AND EXCURSION WAYS	TOURISTS AND EXCURSION OBJECTIVES
CYCLING TRACKS FOR BIKE-TOURISTS	SOMETHING FOR MUSHROOM-PICKERS

	Accomodation Here you can choose your hotel, pension (=boarding house, family hotel), camp or private accomodation (bed and breakfest), which will satisfy your wishes - for all of them there is at least a telephone number for contact. DUE OUT-OF-DATE INFORMATIONS TEMPORATILY CLOSED. Transport You find out how to get to Jetrichovice by various means of transport.
SCHEDULE OF ACCOMODATION	TRANSPORT = HOW TO REACH JETRICHOVICE

Mountaineering Rock climbing in Czech Switzerland has today one hundred years tradition. Pioneers of sandstone climbing adopted very early rigorous unwritten rules about purity and character of sandstone climbing, until today without changes and there in Czech republic expressed in "Rules of sporting climbing on sandstone rocks in Bohemia". First sporting ascents were already in 1888 in surrounding of Hrensko. Golden period set in years 1904-1910. The first wolrd war broke this period and wasted lifes of many experienced climbers. Next mountaineerging territories has been discovered only in the twenties in the 20.century. Czech climbers came only past the world war two and they renewed climbing tradition of this region. Vitalization of sandstone climbing got started in sixties of the 20th century, because of abolition of frontier zone, in which majority of atractive rocks laid. Today are still discovered new rocks and new climbing ways.
INFORMATIONS FOR CLIMBERS		LIST OF ROCKS WITH DESCRIPTION OF CLIMBING WAYS

Nature of Czech Switzerland The territory around Jetrichovice is covered by National Park Czech Switzerland, further by Protected landscape area Labské sandstones (Elbe´s sandstones), partialy by Protected area Lužické mountains (Lusatia mountains) in surroundings of Ceská Kamenice and Chribská. Furthermore there is a large amount of nature reserves and nature relics (for example national reserve Rosy hill - Hans Christian Andersen called it "Decín´s Fujiyama", etc.) . For public three instructive (educational) paths (IP) are assigned - IP Jetrichovické steny (Jetrichovice´s walls) (from Jetrichovice to Vysoká Lípa), IP Friendship between Czech and German republic (from Hrensko over Pravcická gate, Mezná, with passage on punts through the Silent gorge and back to Hrensko) and third IP Růžová (Rosy village) (from village Růžová, along Rosy hill to Dolský mlýn, then back along hamlet Kamenická Strán /reservation of folk architecture/ and back to Růžová over Pastevní vrch above village). They introduce visitors with nature of this place - rock creations, fauna, flora and furthemore they offer a marvelous out-looks to Saxony in Germany

SMALL PROTECTED AREAS IN CZECH SWITZERLAND

NATIONAL PARK CZECH SWITZERLAND

Legends Large amount of legends and myths, which have come down in past in this region, knows today probably seldom. But we can recall them for a while. Let´s go for example to Růžovský hill, where we can see the mystical chapel emerging from the earth, further to local woods, where the "Night hunter" take his neverending night airing, or to Dolský mill, where the souls of the miller and his wife are wandering, because they murdered their son. Rarities There you can find information about visits of prominent celebrities, who have visited the region around Jetrichovice in the past, further about movies, which were shooted there, further about remarkable matters (catastrophs, ...) etc.

MYTHS AND LEGENDS

RARITIES

Dear visitors of this pages, I am glad to see, that the number of you-visitors is still increasing. I would like to tell you, that you can always tell me how you enjoy the pages and that you can turn to me with your ideas and tips to improve its content on e-mail adress . I will read your perceptions, reminders or other responses and I will take it into consideration. Pages are permanently supplied. Please, excuse eventual imperfections and entires, especially not translated texts from czech to english language. I would like to know, if you would come to Jetrichovice or to Czech Switzerland and why - what would you like to find there ? Please send me your opinion !!!

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