Devil's Heads – Klácelka Cave loop from Tupadly
Devil's Heads – Klácelka Cave loop from Tupadly
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Devil's Heads – Klácelka Cave loop from Tupadly
03:11
11.6km
180m
Hiking
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.
Last updated: August 8, 2026
Tips
Your route passes through protected areas
Please check local regulations for:
chráněná krajinná oblast Kokořínsko - Máchův kraj
Waypoints
Start point
Bus stop
Get Directions
3.40 km
Devil's Heads
Highlight • Monument
The monumental heads were created between 1841 and 1846 by the sculptor Václav Levý, a pioneer of European rock art. With astonishing precision, he chiseled the striking faces directly into the soft sandstone. Even today, the lifelike features, the detailed hair and beards, and the immense size of the sculptures are impressive.
But the Devil's Heads are just one of several artworks along this varied hike. You repeatedly encounter further rock reliefs and sculptures created by Levý, which blend harmoniously into the sandstone landscape and give the region its very special character.
The tour combines impressive nature with extraordinary art and leads to some of Bohemia's most fascinating rock formations. A real insider tip for anyone who wants to discover spectacular places off the beaten tourist paths.
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3.44 km
Čertovy Hlavy
Highlight • Monument
4.14 km
Klácelka Cave
Highlight • Cave
Klacelka and the area in front of the cave called Blanik are considered Levý's most important works. The interior of Klacelka consists of scenes from the Czech fable Ferina Lisak
Patriots F. M. Klacel (who was Antonín Veith's guest at Liběchov Castle in 1844; the book was published in Leipzig in 1845) (he used the cave as his natural study) and in which he indirectly criticizes contemporary Czech society. The bat was considered a symbol of backwardness, the stork with a syringe parodying doctor-charlatans and fraudsters, the turkey as a symbol of pompous financiers, the donkey as a teacher who dumbs down Czech children in German schools, ... The immediate starting point for Klácel was Goethe's poem Reineke Fuchs from 1793.
The area in front of the cave (Blanik) is decorated with reliefs depicting Jan Žižka with a mace and sword, St. Procopius with a stick and shield, and Jan Zasmucky, the alleged leader of the legendary Blanik Knights, slumbering on the legendary Blaník Mountain.
Levý did not forget the sleeping Blanica army and the dwarven figures making weapons for the Blanica knights. In a romantic mood, the legendary Blanica troops and the historic Hussite troops prepare for the joint defense of the homeland.
(See also klacelka.cz/informacni-tabule/)
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8.55 km
Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene (Kaple sv. Máří Magdalény)
Highlight • Religious Site
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9.07 km
Small stone heads near Liběchov
Highlight • Monument
In the same period, other sculptures by Václav Levy were created in this region. While walking along the blue tourist trail, you will come across Hada or Harfenica. The snake is very visible as it winds around the sandstone rock. The harpist is a little harder to see, but if you look closely, you can see the strings of her harp. Closer to the village of Liběchov is the Klácelka cave and in front of it are statues of Jan Žižka, Prokop Holé and dwarves forging armor for the Blanica knights.
You can visit all of these wonderful sights during the family walking circuit from Liběchov. The blue tourist sign will take you first to the Klácelka cave, the Devil's Heads, Hadov and Harfenica and back to Liběchov.
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9.11 km
Harfenice rock carvings by Václav Levý
Highlight • Monument
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9.29 km
Sphinx by Václav Levý
Highlight • Monument
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9.30 km
Sphinx Rock Carving (1930)
Highlight • Monument
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11.6 km
End point
Bus stop
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
5.56 km
3.52 km
1.40 km
656 m
275 m
121 m
Surfaces
7.93 km
2.28 km
1.03 km
269 m
< 100 m
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Elevation
Highest point (250 m)
Lowest point (160 m)
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Weather
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Thursday 27 August
29°C
16°C
44 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 10.0 km/h
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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.
Comments
...between Liběchov and Tupadly, between the Elbe and Liběchov Castle, between giant devil heads and the Chapel of Mary Magdalene, on the trail of the Czech sculptor Václav Levý.
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The starting point was the parking lot at the castle, which we inspected intensively from the outside right at the beginning. Then we went on the circular hiking trail Blauer Strich, which is probably the most …
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The Čertovy hlavy (English: devil's heads) are a pair of nine-meter-high rock sculptures in the municipality of Želízy, near Mělnik, about 45km from Prague.
The sculptor and son of a shoemaker Václav Levý created these …
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"The Čertovy hlavy (Black Towers) were created by Václav Levý between 1841 and 1846. Their dimensions make them a unique work in the Czech Republic."
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