The most famous rock formation
Walk up to the Pravcicka Gate, which has become a symbol of the park. With a width of 26.5 m and a height of 16 m, is the largest sandstone rock gate in Europe. Just next to it was built in 1881 the Falcon’s Nest. Instead of a small bar in the rocks the Prince Edmund Clary-Aldringen. The owner of the manor, ordered the chateau Sokoli Hinizdo to be built.
One of the most popular hiking trails is the Gabriel Trail. This starts from the village of Mezní Louka right up to the famous Pravcicka gate. On the way, wonderful views will open out over the surrounding panorama, above all from the highest hill in the whole park Pink hill (619m).
The boom of tourism in Bohemian Switzerland National Park was mainly taken care of by the Kinsky family. Which owned the Czech-Kamenice manor, and the Clary-Aldringen family, which owned the Decin manor. A number of rock formations and places are named after members of these families. It was the Clary-Aldringen family who opened the Pravcicka gate to tourists in the 1880s.
The original name “Bohemian Switzerland” is derived from the name Saxon Switzerland. Which is used for the German part of the Elbe sandstone rocks from the 18th century. The Swiss painters Adrian Zingg and Anton Graff, who worked at the Dresden Academy and painted the countryside along the Elbe. Reminded them of their homeland and gave it this romantic name.