The best traffic-free bike rides around Český ráj

Hrubá Skála Castle is one of the main landmarks of Český ráj. The castle towers over a group of rock spires located six kilometers southeast of the town of Turnov. The rock formations, reaching up to sixty meters high, are found above the valley of the Libuňka river, situated in the landscape between Trosky Castle and Valdštejn Castle.

The municipality of Hrubá Skála is located in Český ráj near Turnov in the Semily district of the Liberec Region. 617 inhabitants live here. It is located in the immediate vicinity of Hrubá Skála Castle, which was built on a sandstone rock massif in the second half of the 14th century.

Hruboskalsko is a nature reserve declared on April 22, 1998. With an area of 219.2 ha, it is one of the largest rock towns in the Protected Landscape Area Český ráj. The reason for protection is the extensive rock town with preserved relict pine forests. The Hruboskalsko rock town includes hundreds of rock massifs and individual towers reaching up to 60 m in height. Due to the low resistance of sandstone and the constant effect of various influences, the rocks are rich in a variety of shapes and forms (honeycombs, windows, gates).

The square witnessed all significant historical events in the 20th century. Locals celebrated the establishment of the republic, the end of World War II, and in November 1989, they demonstrated against the communist regime. Just as people in Prague gather in Wenceslas Square by the horse, the people of Jičín gather by the fountain. Every Saturday morning, you can head to the square for the popular markets.

Valdštejn Square, formerly also Masaryk Square or Gottwald Square, is the center of the Jičín municipal monument reserve. The rectangular square, covering an area of one hectare, is surrounded on all sides by houses with arcades, which is absolutely unique. The square is dominated by the Renaissance Valdická Gate, the castle, and the Baroque Church of St. James the Greater.

The historic center of Jičín was declared a municipal monument reserve in 1956. On Valdštejn Square, there is an Empire-style fountain with the statue of Amphitrite by sculptor Jan Sucharda, or the Coronation Fountain built in honor of Emperor Ferdinand V, who passed through Jičín on August 28, 1836, on his way to his coronation in Prague as King of Bohemia.

The Věžakmeer is a small lake located in the Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj) in the Czech Republic. It is known as a picturesque location in this region.

The castle was founded between 1260 and 1280 by the Markwartings. This family, from which several Bohemian noble families emerged, rose to prominence during the reign of King Otakar II Přemysl and owned extensive estates in the Jizera region up to the Giant Mountains. The first documented owner was Zdeněk (1280–1304), who named himself after the castle of Waldstein. He was the son of Jaroslav of Turnov (1234–1269). In addition to the castle, the Waldstein domain included several villages on both sides of the Jizera River, around Turnov, up to the Cistercian monastery of Hradiště. Even during Zdeněk's lifetime, disputes over ownership arose, which continued in subsequent generations. From 1318 onward, court proceedings between members of the Waldstein family for robbery in the associated villages are documented.