technical monuments

technical monuments Introduction

Introduction

This brochure is based on an on-site survey of the technical monuments and points of interest in the tourism region which took place within the framework of the “Jablonec as the Tourism Cen- tre of the Jizera Mountains” project in 2009. The main goal of this brochure is to inform visitors of some of the interesting and publicly accessible sites in the region. The technical monuments and points of interest are described using routes which offer the option of walking and cycle trips, as well as trips by car. The routes not only draw atten- tion to industrial structures built predominantly in the 19th century, but also to points of technical interest such as lookout towers, hydraulic structures, reservoirs, water turbines, technical museums and outdoor museums, windmills and power stations, historical railway lines, mili- tary fortifications and so on. The routes have been proposed in such a way so that visitors can not only become acquainted with the techni- cal attractions, but also with all the natural beauty which the Jizera Mountains tourist region offers.

All that remains is to wish everybody, who takes these trips, a pleasant journey.

This project has been co-financed by the European Union from the Eu- ropean Fund for Regional Development. technical monuments A technical paradise at the Jizera Mountains

A technical paradise at the Jizera Mountains

This “technical paradise” awaits you in Bílý Potok on the River Smědá, which for years has turned the wheels of turbines and powered the machines in a spinning mill at the edge of the Jizera Mountains. (Not only people of a technical mind will be pleased by the gems which can be seen there.)

Ludvíkov pod Smrkem

Lázně Libverda

Bílý Potok

If you come to Bílý Potok from Hejnice, you cannot miss the building of the former spinning mill along the left-hand side of the road. At present, the factory facilities are being operated by Pavel Šercl, who has a go-cart engineering plant there and is preparing the exhibitions for a museum which should be opened within two years. The newly arising Jizera Mountain Technical Museum (Jizerskohorské tech- nické museum) will endeavour to preserve the cultural and technical heritage in the area of the history of combustion engines, by means of which it will endeavour to acquaint visitors with the history of the development of technology during the course of the twentieth century. At present, it is possible to arrange group visits to the factory area with Mr Šercl (tel. 737 439 683, [email protected]). A tour may last from several minutes through to a half-day excursion. The entrance free is voluntary and there is much to see there. technical monuments A technical paradise at the Jizera Mountains

At the beginning of this factory’s era, a mechanical wool weaving mill was established on a headrace from the River Smědá. The three-storey masonry building with a wooden roof was built according to the plans of the Frýdlant architect, Josef Niesser. Twenty years later, the operations were changed to those of a cotton mill. However, it burnt down in 1913 and only the 44 metre high chimney remained. Five workers died during the fire and one arborvitae tree for each them now stands in front of the spinning mill. In the same year, the factory rose from the ashes and it was even expanded to include another storey and a six-floor staircase tower with a tank for the fire extinguishing system. The Zittau architect, Hein- rich Zieger, was involved in the reconstruction and overall harmonisation of the facades in their yellow-grey colour combination. This spinning mill was equipped with a Breitfeld–Daněk steam boiler from 1907. It was dismantled in 1953, but thanks to the enthusiasm and skill of the own- ers, the steam engine has been reassembled. There is also a plan for the renewal of the Francis turbine which was in operation there from 1929, but was decommissioned in the 1960s. After a visit to the former spinning mill, you can go on a walk in the mountains and climb up the highest mountain in the Jizera Mountains, where there has been a new, twenty-metre high, metal lookout tow- er since 2003. It replaced the wooden lookout tower which had stood on Smrk since 1892. The carpenter who made the lookout tower, Franz Fritsch, administered both the tower and the adjacent hiking cha- let. The wooden structure on Smrk lasted for 55 years. If you would like to see what it looked like, you can see it in the Prague zoological gardens where it was erected in 2009. One of the variants for a visit to Smrk is to go via the Paličník look- out , which is accessible by following the yellow-marked walking track from Bílý Potok and then the blue-marked track. The way back is the same at the start (along the blue-marked track), but then you can choose to head back along the red-marked track to the Hubertka

1 2 1 > The interior of the former weaving mill in Bílý Potok 2 > The former weaving mill (the future Jizera Mountains Museum) technical monuments A technical paradise at the Jizera Mountains

Chalet from the “Heavenly Ladder” (Nebeský žebřík) intersection. You will come back to your starting point along an asphalt road which is marked with green signs. The entire circuit is 16 km long and it is designated for fitter walkers, because it involves overcoming a sig- nificant elevation. A shorter variant with the option of a visit to Lázně Libverda is 12 km long and not as demanding. Leave the yellow-marked walking track at the Bartl Hut (Bartlova bouda) and turn left along the green-marked track to the Hubertka Chalet (chata Hubertka), which was built in 1907. From this chalet, you can go to the Kočičí kameny lookout which is only a couple of hundred metres distant. Continue along the red- marked track to Lázně Libverda, where you can relax in the shade of the spa colonnade dating from the first half of the 19th century. There are a number of classicist and Empire-style spa pavilions in the immediate environs. The monument which was built at the end of the chestnut avenue (formerly the spa promenade) behind the château building is certainly worth a visit. This monument was built by Christian Philip Clam-Gallas in 1790 in memory of the doctors who first recom- mended this beneficial spring. At present, we can only imagine what a walk along this now partially overgrown avenue, at whose end rose the Founders’ Monument (Pomník zakladatelů), which nowadays only very distantly recalls the former lustre of these places, would have looked like. To the right of it, you will find another large monument which was dedicated to Arch-Duke Karl in 1802. At present, it is in poor condition and is hidden by dense vegetation. The route back leads along the same track as you came on. You can find more information at: www.fabriky.cz.

(The text is based on information from the Research Centre for Indus- trial Heritage)

1 1 > The colonnade in Lázně Libverda technical monuments How people lived

How people lived

This route will take you to places which bring the history of the local region back to life. If you are interested in how people lived in previous centuries, what tools they used and what life in a village involved, you have here a unique op- portunity to experience the atmosphere of the period before the Industrial Revolution.

Bulovka Horní Řasnice

Jindřichovice Dolní pod Smrkem Řasnice

Nové Město Krásný pod Smrkem Les

Frýdlant Ludvíkov pod Smrkem

Lázně Raspenava Libverda

A living outdoor museum , which has beenHejnice founded by the Lunaria citizens’ association, is situated in Jindřichovice pod Smrkem. At the edge of Jindřichovice, you will see a newly built, half-timbered house which is typical for this region and next to it also an original building, which is at present partially occupied by part of the museum and is par- tially residential. Within the framework of the living outdoor museum, you can also admire varied meadows and pastures for the original do- mestic animals which live there. In the middle of the pasture, there is a stone windmill with a turbine. An exhibition of all the windmills in the can be seen there. In particular, however, the mill serves the purpose of grinding cereal crops. The museum will show you many different machines and tools which were used almost daily in the previous century, but which nowadays almost nobody would know how to use. The citizens of the outdoor museum do know, however, because they use many of the displayed tools and equipment today not only to work in the fields, but also in the smithy which they have there. The museum also includes the sale of local products. There is also the possibility of stopping in the bookshop with ecological, spiritual and beautiful literature. The outdoor museum is open from April to September, Tuesday to Sunday, from 10.00 am to technical monuments How people lived

5.00 pm and at the same times from Friday to Sunday from October to March. You will be able to find information on the amount of the en- trance fee and the cultural and other events held there on the website at www.lunaria-jindrichovice.cz. The Teaching Trail through the Environs of Jindřichovice (naučná stezka okolím Jindřichovice) starts in front of the outdoor museum. This trail will take you through the area’s natural, technical and historical nooks. The trail is 12 km long, but it can also be shortened. It includes a visit to a wind turbine , which has supplied electricity to the na- tional grid since 17th May 2003. You can view the wind turbine with a commentary on further renewable energy sources by arrangement with Mirka Kolačná from the Ecological Information Centre (Ekolog- ické informační centrum) which is in close proximity (tel. 482 328 007, 604 777 977, mirka@resec. cz). They have programs focussing on this topic, which are made to measure for specific age groups or for school parties (www.jindrichovice.cz). It is only a few kilometres from Jindřichovice pod Smrkem to the munici- pality of Dolní Řasnice where you can meet people who are endeavour-

1 1 > The Stelzig smithy in Dolní Řasnice 2 3 2 > The living outdoor museum in Jindřichovice pod Smrkem 3 > The windmill in the outdoor museum in Jindřichovice pod Smrkem technical monuments How people lived

ing to preserve the traditional architecture of the region and are gradu- ally repairing the former village magistrate’s house (building no. 29) and other structures. The Stelzig Smithy (Stelzigova kovárna) (building no. 27) was repaired within the framework of the project in 1980 within the framework of the Český svět (Czech World) program and it is cur- rently a museum which informs visitors of the life of Ondřej Stelzig, the leader of the largest serf uprising in Bohemia in the 17th century, but also of the history of the old crafts in the village. The museum and the newly arising outdoor museum can be visited by telephone arrange- ment: 603 903 238. The smithy building was built in 1660. The farm area includes a 300-year-old farmer’s retirement cottage (a so-called “Umge- bindehaus” which is typical for Upper Lusatia), which was brought there in 2005–2006 from Předlánce (the municipality of Višňová). In 2008, the farm was supplemented with a granary from Dolní Olešnice, which is about 200 years old and represents the Czech architecture of the Jizera Mountains and the Giant Mountains. Recently, a weaver’s house, which graphically depicts the intermingling of Czech and German influences in folk housing, was brought from Chrastava. This house is currently being erected on the foundations of a former farmer’s retirement cottage. You can find out more information on the website of the Český svět citizens’ association (www.ceskysvet.info). If you are interested in mills and everything associated with them, you have the chance to visit the private mill in Krásný Les. It is located several hundred metres from the turn-off to Raspenava, if you are travelling in the direction of Frýdlant. Turn left off the main road onto a gravel track which leads along a stream and through a meadow to the mill. The owner has had the mill wheel with a diameter of four metres repaired. After making an arrangement with this willing patron of the original mill, you can see the mill wheel in operation and find out more about the local history. Other points of interest include an astronomi- cal clock on one side of an adjacent building, which literally comes to life every 25th of December when inhabitants of the municipality take the place of the twelve apostles. Mr Pavel Vursta (tel. 606 148 591) will provide you with more information about a visit.

1 1 > The astronomical clock near the water mill in Krásný Les technical monuments Frýdlant v Čechách

Frýdlant v Čechách

This tour of the town of Frýdlant v Čechách and the railway mu- seum is a walking tour and it may take you either a few minutes or the whole day. It will take you back to the time when rail- way transport enjoyed its greatest boom. Several technically interesting buildings which you will find in the town are await- ing new use, but they still constitute a significant part of the picture of Frýdlant. If you wish to see the town from above, you can go to the Frýdlantská výšina lookout tower above the town. (You will find more information in the description of the “In Search of Water around the Town of Frýdlant v Čechách” route (Putování za vodou po městě Frýdlant v Čechách).

You will find probably the oldest technical monument in the centre of the town. This involves the remains of the town’s circular fortifica- tions . You can see part of this wall in the vicinity of the Church of the Discovery of the Holy Cross. And, if you set off along Okružní Street, you will walk around the fortifications which have mainly been demolished, but it is possible to find pieces of the stone walls in the facades of the current houses. After viewing the town battlements, you should set off to the railway station where there is also the former station of the narrow gauge railway . This building is located behind the newly repaired rail- way station. The Frýdlant District Railway citizens’ association (Frýdlantské okresní dráhy), whose aim is to preserve the monuments and to renovate the former FRÝDLANT V ČECHÁCH – HEŘMANICE narrow gauge railway, has operated a unique museum in the former locomotive shed technical monuments Frýdlant v Čechách

near the Frýdlant railway station since 28th June 2008. By means of its exhibits and documents, the museum mainly presents the history of the former narrow gauge railway with its unique gauge of 750 mm, which led through Dětřichov to Heřmanice and then on to Poland and Germany. The exhibition includes photographs and documentaries on the history of the line, but you can also admire a functioning narrow gauge locomotive and several wagons. You can walk along the former line (demanding terrain) or you can watch a screening of a computer simulation of the operation of the “Heřmanička” line in the museum. The tour also includes an expert, but highly interesting commentary. From July to September, you can visit the museum on Saturdays from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm, while it is possible to arrange a visit outside these regular hours by telephone on 721 404 011 (the Deputy Chairman) or on 606 302 260. When visiting the museum, take care, because you are near to a functioning railway line. The former locomotive shed is lo- cated at the railway crossing in Žitavská Street. Head downhill from the Frýdlant v Čechách railway station to the main road where you should turn left. After about 300 metres, you will see a railway crossing and the building of the former locomotive shed is on the right-hand side. You will find more information at: www. hermanicka.wz.cz.

1 1 > The railway museum 2 2 > A detail of the railway technical monuments Jablonec nad Nisou

Jablonec nad Nisou

Jablonec nad Nisou has many technically interesting structures. Many of them have been reconstructed and have therefore changed their original appearance, but sometimes also their original use. Other abandoned structures are quietly awaiting rescue. This route will acquaint you with some points of techni- cal interest which are open to the public for viewing thanks to the willingness of their owners.

If you head into Jablonec nad Nisou from Liberec via Rýnovice, you will have the opportunity to stop off at the Nad Prosečí lookout tower and to start with a view of Jablonec from above. This look- out tower has stood on the Proseč Ridge since 1932, when the last wooden lookout tower on this site fell down in high winds. It is the technical monuments Jablonec nad Nisou

work of the architect R. Hemmrich and it has a square floor plan and a height of 26 metres. The first lookout here was pegged out by the members of the local mountain association in 1892, but it soon fell victim to vandals and lasted only two years. Another two wooden structures then stood on the site. The first of them was struck by lightning and the second was felled by the aforementioned high winds. The tower has recently been renovated and it is currently open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm, but it is best to arrange a visit by telephone on 733 101 670 or 725 554 947. Continue along Čs. Armády Street to Rýnovice and then go straight to Mšeno, where you will se the reservoir on your right-hand side. The Mšeno reservoir was built between 1906 and 1908 by a Prague company, while the design was prepared by Prof. Dr. Otto Intze in co- operation with Professor Holz and Dr. Leppla from Berlin. The reser- voir dam is a curved gravity dam made of quarry stone and a footpath leads along its summit. The reservoir is used to protect the town from flooding by means of the water flow through tunnels constructed from the Lusatian Nisa (Lužická Nisa) and the White Nisa (Bílá Nisa) into the reservoir. A hy- droelectric power station which was installed in 1994 also makes use of the water flow. 11 kW are produced from 120 l/s-1. The internal areas of the tunnel can be visited in organised groups by prior ar- rangement at the email address of [email protected]. Lastly, this reser- voir is also used for recreational and sports purposes. There are many picturesque nooks around the reservoir which can be recommended for visits. You can walk the 5.5 km long route around its banks and see the entire reservoir in all its beauty. From the dam, take U Přehrady Street past the swimming pool and continue to the roundabout where you should take the first street to the right, which is Podhorská Street. This street is home to build- ings which were once the registered offices of the most significant ex- port companies. The street is quite long and in its second half you can

1 2 1 > The Anton Wondrak house 2 > The Mahl Brothers Export Building technical monuments Jablonec nad Nisou

see abundantly decorated facades in the neo-renaissance, art nou- veau and art deco styles. On your right-hand side, you will also see a building which was built in 1921–1922 for the company of Anton Wondrak and Son , which operated a printing plant, a book bind- ery and a stationery shop there. This corner, multi-storeyed building served as a residential and a commercial building and it connected with the single-storey, double-span, reinforced concrete building no. technical monuments Jablonec nad Nisou

4454 of the printing plant. The author of the late art nouveau design was Max Daut. Stationery is still sold there today. After you cross the small bridge over the River Nisa, you will come to a traffic roundabout where you should take the third street on the right (Lovecká Street). The first street which turns off to the right is called Antala Staška, where you will see the former Scheibler Glassworks (Scheiblerova huť) on your right-hand side (no. 561). The original glass

1 1 > The Mšeno reservoir technical monuments Jablonec nad Nisou

pressing plant dating from 1849 was owned by Josef Scheibler. In 1884, it was expanded to include a composition glassworks which is one of the oldest production plants for composition glass in the Jablonec area. From the second half of the 18th century, composition glassworks were an indispensable and characteristic part of the basic glass industry in the Jizera Mountains. In 1995, the administrative building and the drawing plant passed into the hands of a private owner, who is reno- vating the building in an attempt to preserve the layout of the origi- nal composition glassworks with the preservation of the hand glass production – pressing, grinding and production over a flame. If you are interested in viewing the glassworks, contact Glass Motiv s.r.o., tel. 483 346 492 or [email protected]. After the tour, head back to the roundabout along the road you came on and head back to the centre of the town along Podhorská Street. Turn right and you will see the large church on the Upper Square (Horní náměstí). There is a large car park next to the Roman Catholic Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and you can park your car there and go into the town centre on foot. Walk to the Peace Square (Mírové náměstí) and then turn left at its lower end and you will come to the Church of Dr. Farský (kostel dr. Farského). Next to it, you will see the House of Furniture (Dům nábytku) which is located in the original Mahl Brothers Export Building . Head down Jiráskova Street from this small square with its church and turn right at the corner. You will see a building which was built in 1897 as the export building for the Zimmer-Schmidt Company and has served as the Museum of Glass and Costume Jewellery (muzeum skla a bižuterie) since 1904. This newly renovated building is worth a visit, because it offers an abundant range of glass exhibits both from the present and from the history of Czech glass, jewellery and costume jewellery production.

1 1 > The Museum of Glass and Costume Jewellery technical monuments In search of water

In search of water

This route, which is approximately 7 km long, will take you to places with a single thing in common – water. Your guide will be the teaching trail which has been constructed by the Frýdlant Micro-Region, the Town of Frýdlant and the Frýdlant Water Company.

Frýdlant

The teaching trail begins at the lower zone (nízké pásmo) of the Frýdlant reservoir, which is located in the centre of the town on the Řasnice River and is the oldest preserved monument and functioning waterworks structure not only within the territory of Frýdlant, but prob- ably in the entire Frýdlant Promontory. The reservoir, which holds up to 300 m3 of drinking water in two chambers, was built at the beginning of 1913 within the framework of the construction of the first Frýdlant water main. The construction of the water main was secured by the Town Council of the day under the leadership of the mayor, Mr Heinrich Kaulferch. Like most of the similar structures in the Frýdlant area, the reservoir belongs to the Frýdlant Water Company. The company enables the public to go on tours through the reconstructed reservoir by mutual arrangement with Mr Petr Olyšar MSc (tel. 482 312 122). The tour is free and lasts approximately 20 minutes. If you look across the road, you will see the facility of the Frýdlant Water Treatment Plant which produces drinking water for the town and its immediate environs. technical monuments In search of water

The produced drinking water is pumped from the treatment plant to the upper zone of the Frýdlant reservoir, which you can reach after less than a kilometre’s walk first up Strmá Street and then along the track in the direction of the Frýdlant lookout tower (frýdlantská rozhledna). You may be surprised to find two reservoirs there. The first of them, the smaller one, was built before the First World War and its maximum level reaches a height of 372.20 m above sea level. The second one is admittedly younger, but it is significantly larger (it holds 1000 m3) and it was built together with the water treatment plant in the 1970s. The water is pumped to both water reservoirs from the wa- ter treatment plant at a considerable height of 65 m.

From there, you will climb up the hill and when you come to the top you will have the opportunity to continue along the 80 m long paved track to the next of many Frýdlant reservoirs (Frýdlant – Jaklovo údolí) or you can turn left at the top and you will come to the highest lying part of the route – the Frýdlant lookout tower. The lookout tower with a height of 21 m was officially opened on 30th April 1907. Originally, a 15 m high tower stood on the site from 1890 to 1905. The foundation stone of the new lookout tower was laid on 17th May 1906. On a clear day, you can even see Ještěd above the City of Liberec. The lookout tower is open in May, June and September (Saturday, Sunday and public holidays) and in July and August (daily, except for Mondays) always from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm. Entrance charge: Adults: 10 CZK, children up to 15 years of age: 5 CZK. From there, head to the left and continue around the cemetery towards the centre of the town. After the railway crossing with Krátká Street, you will come to the town park where you can spend a pleasant while by the River Smědá . You can turn off the teaching trail and you will not be sorry you did so. Head across the bridge, down Míru Street and then along Žitavská Street, on which you will soon see a sign for the company Damino CZ , a textile company lying partially on the River Smědá on the left-hand side. You can reach it along Úzká Street. After the railway crossing, you will cross a bridge, alongside which you will see the remains of the struc-

1 1 > The lower zone of the Frýdlant reservoir technical monuments In search of water

ture of the old headrace. The factory is home to a reconstructed Francis turbine dating from 1924. The turbine is currently fully functional with its mechanical parts preserved and it really is something to see. You can arrange an excursion from Monday to Friday (6.00 am to 12.00 pm) with the company manager, Viktor Víšek (tel. 602 163 080). The excursion takes about 20 minutes and the entrance charge is voluntary. You will return to the present from your trip to the past, if you take the path around the Frýdlant château until you come to the pumping sta- tion in Zámecká Street . The structure appears at first glance to be a reservoir, but, as the name suggests, this is not the case. This is “only” a pumping station which does not accumulate water, but pumps it from a site with a lower altitude to a site with a higher altitude. The building is currently not used for the supply of drinking water, but it is used as a back-up in exceptional circumstances. The stone portal of one of the Frýdlant wells (the Pod Zámkem well) is situated in close proximity. From there, head to the last point on the route, to the Supí vrch reser- voir , where a lookout point was built in April 2008. It offers a beau- tiful view of the Frýdlant château which attracts many visitors. You can find more information about the trail on www.putovanizavodou.cz.

1 2 1 > The sluice gates to the headrace at Damino CZ, s.r.o. 3 4 2 > The Francis turbine at Damino CZ, s.r.o. 3 > The Francis turbine at Damino CZ, s.r.o. 4 > The view over the Supí vrch reservoir technical monuments The cog railway to Kořenov

The cog railway to Kořenov

This 15.5 km long day trip (7 km by train and 8.5 km on foot) begins at the railway station in Tanvald, where you can buy a ticket to Kořenov. However, the trip will not be ordinary, be- cause you will travel on the Jizera Mountains-Giant Mountains railway line which is known as the “Kořenov cog railway” .

Souš

Černá Říčka Polubný

Kořenov

Desná

Příchovice Tanvald

Not many railway lines can boast so many superlatives. Not only is the unique structure of the track of interest, but its rich history is too. The railway line wasBohdalovice built in 1899–1902 as an important connection between the industrial area of Liberec and Jablonec and the western part of Silesia, where the important centre was the town of Hirschberg (Jelenia Góra). The railway line was used for both passenger and freight transport and it constituted a significant connection for the export of textile products to Prussia and for the import of Upper Silesian coal and raw materials for the glassworks. Nowadays, only the part of the track from Tanvald to Harrachov (12 km) out of the total 59 km Austrian-Prussian line between Tanvald and Hir- schberg is in operation. The section of the line from Szklarská Poreba to the state border, in front of the railway station in Harrachov, is cur- rently undergoing intensive renewal. The line from Tanvald to Har- rachov boasts many interesting structures, including five tunnels, of which the longest is 940 metres long. The seven kilometre long Tanvald – Kořenov section includes a preserved 4.43 km long dual Abt cog rail which overcomes an elevation of 235 metres with a maximum rise of up technical monuments The cog railway to Kořenov

to 58 per mil (the largest elevation in the Czech Republic). This unique railway line was declared a cultural monument in 1992 by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic (www.zubacka.cz). After a sixteen-minute ride, you will get out at Kořenov, where you can visit the Cog Railway Museum in the building of the Kořenov rail- way station. The Museum was established and officially opened in 2008. The exhibitions at this museum mainly focus on the cogged railway, its varied, but often troubled history, the peculiarities of the track’s opera- tions and the rolling stock used there. The museum houses a number of texts and photographs concerning the history, present and future of the Tanvald–Kořenov cog railway and the connecting line from Kořenov to Szklarská Poreba. Among the exhibits, you can see models of several types of cog railways, dual cog railways and their foundations and other points of technical interest. It is open daily from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm from 30th May to 30th September. The full entrance fee: 30 CZK, the discounted fee (children aged 6–12, pensioners): 20 CZK. Behind the railway station, you will join the blue-marked walking track, which will lead you past the Forest Chalet (Lesní chata) to Kořenov (2.7 km), where you can stop in the local information centre. There, it is possible to receive information on the structures of the permanent LOvz37 Czechoslovak fortifications dating from 1937–38, which you will come across in the further sections of the route. Continue 1.5 km along the blue-marked track from the information centre until you come to the stone, neo-gothic Štěpánka lookout tower which stands on the Hvězda peak (959 m above sea level). This is the old- est lookout tower in the Jizera Mountains. It is named after Archduke Stephan (Štěpán) who stayed there when supervising the construction of the Giant Mountains Road (Krkonošské silnice). The lookout tower began to be constructed in 1847, but the construction work suddenly halted and the entire structure was not completed until 1892. During the continuation of the construction, a slim octagonal tower made out of a combination of bricks and sandstone was added to the lower six- metre section. The height of the lookout tower is 24 m and it offers a truly beautiful view. From there, you can see the Western Giant Moun-

1 2 1 > The cog railway to Kořenov 2 > The cog railway to Kořenov – detail technical monuments The cog railway to Kořenov

tains, the Desná and Kamenice valleys, scattered mountain chalets all the way to the Souš reservoir and Mount Jizera in the background. A wooden refreshment stand with has traditionally stood near the look- out tower and the stone table and bench at its entrance is of interest.

It is open all year round from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30 am to 5.30 pm and it is also open on Mondays from June to August. It is closed during poor weather. From the lookout tower, head along the green-marked track to Harra- chov. After a short while, you will come to a sign pointing to one of the structures of the LOvz37 permanent Czechoslovak fortifications dating from 1937–38. There, you can see an exhibition which is sup- plemented by an interesting commentary from a guide on the history of the construction of the fortifications at the boundary of the Jizera Mountains and the Giant Mountains. If you are interested in having the commentary, it is best to contact Mr Jiří Dušek in advance by telephone on 737 376 238 (www.jizerkyprovas.cz). Your trip to the technical monuments and military points of interest will end with a walk along the green-marked walking track to the railway station in Harrachov (4.5 km). From there, you can return to the starting point of the route – Tanvald.

1 2 1 > The monument at the Štěpánka lookout tower 3 2 > The Štěpánka lookout tower 3 > The stairs of the Štěpánka lookout tower technical monuments Views from above

Views from above

This all-day route is 25 km long and is designed for visitors who not only like structural and technical monuments, but also pic- turesque views of the countryside in the Jizera Mountains and the environs of Jablonec nad Nisou from above. Along the route, which is best suited for motorists given the distances involved, you will visit several tourist lookout towers. Most of them were established at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and their construction was associated with the massive boom in the walk- ing association movement. It could even be said that it was liter- ally a matter of prestige for walking and other associations to have their “own” lookout tower. Within the territory of our route, the most active associations were the German Mountain Associa- tion for the Ještěd and Jizera Mountains and the German Moun- tain Association for Jablonec and its Environs. At present, the lookout towers are experiencing a new wave of interest, many are being repaired and some new ones are even being built.

Bedřichov Rudolfov Josefův Hrabětice Důl

Kristiánov Nový Harcov Loučná Jindřichov Kunratice Lučany nad Nisou

Proseč nad Nisou

Nová Ves nad Nisou Jablonec Milíře nad Nisou

Černá Studnice

The first lookout tower on this route is Královka which lies at a height of 859 m above sea level on one of the peaks of the Maxov Ridge. In 1888, the German Mountain Association built a wooden 19-metre tall lookout tower on the site. However, this tower fell vic- tim to a gale eighteen years later, but the members of the associa- tion quickly decided to build a new stone lookout tower. The lookout tower’s foundation stone was laid on 26th May 1907 and in September technical monuments Views from above

of the same year the lookout tower was completed according to the plans of the Jablonec architect, Stephan Arnold. In 1934, an expansive mountain building was built alongside the lookout tower. The structure is 23.5 metres high and 102 stairs lead up to the lookout platform. The lookout tour, which is open all year round, offers a beautiful view of the Jizera Mountains, the Giant Mountains, Poland and Germany, the Bohemian Paradise, Ještěd and Jablonec nad Nisou. The entrance fee is 20 CZK and the ticket is in the form of a postcard with a stamp. Drive to Hrabětice, where you should turn right to Janov nad Nisou. After 1.5 km, you will come to the car park under the Slovanka lookout tower (820 m above sea level), from where you will head to the lookout tower on foot (500 metres). Slovanka was built in 1887 as a joint project of three sections (the Jablonec, Janov and Horní Kamenice sections) of the German Mountain Association for Ještěd and the Jizera Mountains. An 11-metre long cast iron structure, which was brought to the site from Vienna where it had been an exhibit at an industrial exhibition, was used for the construction of the lookout tower. It was officially opened in front

1 2 1 > The Královka lookout tower 3 4 2 > The Slovanka lookout tower 3 > The Nisanka lookout tower 4 > The Císařský kámen lookout technical monuments Views from above

of five thousand people on 14th August 1887. Unfortunately, the main- tenance of the structure was somewhat neglected over several decades, which took its toll on its condition. In the middle of the 1990s, there were even talks on the demolition of the highly corroded structure. Luckily, the tower has been able to be saved and reconstructed thanks to a group of selfless enthusiasts and the municipality of Lučany nad Nisou and it was officially reopened to the public in 2000. From Slovanka, continue to Horní Maxov and Lučany nad Nisou. A fur- ther lookout tower – Bramberk – is located in this section. Unfor- tunately, however, this lookout tower has been closed since 2007. From Lučany nad Nisou, travel to Nová Ves nad Nisou where you should turn right to the Nisanka lookout tower before the Municipal Authority (obecní úřad). This new dominant feature of the Nová Ves peak was built in 2006 according to plans by the architect Ivan Vorel. As such, another lookout tower was erected in the Jablonec area, at a height of 676 m above sea level, after many decades. This involves a telecom- munications tower which also serves hikers. You will come to the last stop on this route by passing through Jablonec nad Nisou, heading along the 65 Road in the direction of Prague and then turning right to Rádlo after Jablonec. Then turn off to Milíře, where you can leave your car at the Chapel of the Most Sacred Trinity (kostel Nejsvětější Trojice) and set off up along a gravel track to the lookout tower at Císařský kámen , the youngest structure on this route. The construction work on the wooden lookout tower commenced in April 2009 and it was officially opened to the public on 19th September 2009. The lookout tower is situated at a height of 637 m, the height of the lookout platform is 18.8 m and its overall height is 20 m. The platform offers views of the southern slopes of the Jizera Mountains, the western part of the Giant Mountains, the town of Jablonec nad Nisou and Liberec and also the Ještěd Ridge. Under the lookout, there is a memorial stone recalling the visit of the Emperor Joseph II, according to which this hill has its name: Císařský kámen = the Emperor’s Stone.

1 1 > A detail of the Slovanka lookout tower technical monuments Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This brochure has been created with the kind help of Mrs Irena Novot- ná, Mr Otokar Sim, Mr. Olyšar from the Frýdlat Water Company, the contacted mayors and the owners of the technical structures and points of interest in the tourist region of the Jizera Mountains.

The information has been taken from the following sources: Valchářová Vladislava, Beran Lukáš Industriál libereckého kraje, technické stavby a průmyslová architektura (The industrial , technical structures and industrial architecture) registr.cvut.cz www.fabriky.cz www.lunaria-jindrichovice.cz www.jindrichovice.cz www.ceskysvet.info

1 1 > The Mšeno reservoir in Jablonec nad Nisou

The Jablonec Cultural and Information Centre, o.p.s. © 2009 1st edition / Text: ARR – Agentura regionálního rozvoje, spol.s r.o Translation: Andy Letham Photographers: Jana Gürtlerová, Ing. Petr Olyšar Graphic layout: Ondřej Dostál / Composition: David Matura Jablonecké kulturní a informační centrum, o.p.s. Mírové náměstí 3100 CZ – 466 01 Jablonec nad Nisou T: +420 774 667 677 F: +420 483 311 370 [email protected] www.jablonec.com

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