Bohemian Paradise () is a natural and cultural region in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

. It is a designated protected landscape area with an area of . Bohemian Paradise is also the name of a

geopark A geopark is a protected area with internationally significant geology within which Sustainability, sustainable development is sought and which includes tourism, conservation, education and research concerning not just geology but other relevant s ...

with an area of , which is the only UNESCO Global Geopark in the Czech Republic.

Geography

Bohemian Paradise is located about northeast of

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

. It extends into the Central Bohemian, Hradec Králové and

Liberec Liberec (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 108,000 inhabitants, making it the fifth largest city in the country. It lies on the Lusatian Neisse River, in a basin surrounded by mountains. The city centre is well preserved and is pr ...

regions. The region is located between the towns Jičín, Turnov, Mnichovo Hradiště

Železný Brod Železný Brod (; ) is a town in Jablonec nad Nisou District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 6,000 inhabitants. The Trávníky district of the town has well preserved folk architecture and is protected as a Cultural monume ...

and Sobotka. The protected landscape area consists of three separate parts. The main river in the area is the Jizera. From geomorphological point of view, Bohemian Paradise is located mostly in the Jičín Uplands, only the northern part extends into the Ještěd–Kozákov Ridge. The highest point of the protected area is the hill Kozákov at . The lowest point is at .

History

The protected area was declared in 1955, as the first nature reserve in the country. At first, it was in area. In 2002, the area increased to the current .

Natural environment

One of the most recognizable elements of Bohemian Paradise is the

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

rock which many of the surrounding towns are constructed of. There are many rocks which have been shaped by wind, water, frost, erosion, and humans into unique shapes. These include, for instance, the Hrubé, Suché, and Klokočské Rocks. The Prachov Rocks area of rock formations is particularly noteworthy. Since 1933, the area with 60 million year old formations has been a protected natural reserve. Some scenes for major television and film productions were filmed here. The Hrubá Skála rock town area (''Hruboskalské skalní město''), with volcanic sandstone pillars, is also significant. A chateau, also called Hrubá Skála, is located high up on a rock platform. The original mansion was built in the 14th century but was extensively damaged over the years and re-built several times, finally in the style of a Renaissance chateau. The property is now operated as a hotel and spa. Kozákov is the highest hill in the area. There are a tourist chalet and a lookout tower. Kozákov was originally a volcano. Thus, it is a place where precious stones are found. The treatment of these gems has been connected with the history of the city of Turnov called "The heart of the Bohemian Paradise" for several centuries. Trosky Castle, consisting of two 14th-century ruins, is located high on the summits of two basalt volcanic plugs, 15 km from Turnov; the caves nearby can also be visited. Other places of interest in Bohemian Paradise are the Bozkov dolomite caves, which contain the largest underground lake in the Czech Republic. The Podtrosecké Valley is situated below the ruins of Trosky Castle, one of the symbols of Bohemian Paradise. The valley is known for its countryside and several ponds, e.g., Věžák, Nebák, Vidlák. Plakánek valley begins near the Kost Castle and ends in the settlement Rašovec. There is a cycle route in this area. There are also a variety of ruins in the region, including Frýdštějn Castle and Valdštejn Castle.

Cultural sights

Two well-known castles in the area are Trosky and Kost. Other castles in the area include Sychrov, Hrubý Rohozec, Hrubá Skála, and Humprecht. There are also many castle ruins, such as Frýdštejn and Valdštejn, and some buildings built in folk architecture style, for instance, Dlaskův and Boučkův Estates.

Gallery

Trosky, z Vyskře.jpg, Trosky Castle,
symbol of Bohemian Paradise Ceskyraj hrubaskala.JPG, Hrubá Skála rock town Hruba.jpg, Hrubá Skála Castle (now a hotel) Rocktown.JPG, Dwelling in rock ValecovCastle.JPG, Valečov Castle Hrad Trosky, letecký snímek.jpg, Aerial View of Trosky Castle

References

External links

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Protected Landscape Area Bohemian Paradise
(in Czech)
Photos of Landmarks in Bohemian Paradise and Travel InformationNature in Bohemian Paradise
(in Czech)
Bozkov Caves
(in Czech)
Bohemian Paradise AssociationMuseum of Bohemian Paradise in Turnov
{{Authority control Protected landscape areas in the Czech Republic Global Geoparks Network members Protected areas established in 1955 Geography of the Hradec Králové Region Tourist attractions in the Hradec Králové Region Geography of the Liberec Region Geography of the Central Bohemian Region Tourist attractions in the Liberec Region Tourist attractions in the Central Bohemian Region Geoparks in the Czech Republic 1955 establishments in Czechoslovakia Jablonec nad Nisou District Jičín District Liberec District Mladá Boleslav District Semily District