Pravčice Gate – The Iconic Rock Formation in Bohemian Switzerland

Someone may think that I probably made a mistake. The Czech Republic is one country and Switzerland is another. So what could Czech (Bohemian) Switzerland be? Of course, I’m not wrong! Bohemian Switzerland is a national park, a protected area in the north of the Ústí nad Labem region near the border with Germany. On the German side, you will then find the Saxon Switzerland National Park.
The iconic rock formation is the Pravčice Gate, the symbol of this Czech national park. This remarkable natural formation was also the destination of our autumn hike.

Once upon a time, it was mainly artists who went to the countryside to find inspiration for their work. The two Swiss painters Adrian Zingg and Anton Graff, students at the Dresden Academy of Art in the 18th century, were just as fond of visiting this region on the present-day German-Czech border. As the landscape reminded them of their native Switzerland, they called it Saxon Switzerland, and the region on the Czech side came to be known as Bohemian Switzerland. Hence the unusual name!

We arrived here in early September 2024. Instead of a “Swiss” landscape awash in autumn colours, the black stumps of burnt trees stuck out on the hills as a memento – a warning reminder of the devastating fire in the summer of 2022, the biggest in the modern history of Czechia. It took almost a month to extinguish the blaze thanks to the heroic efforts of Czech firefighters, but planes from Italy and Sweden flew in to help as well.

The landscape changed its face after the fire. The rocks no longer disappear behind the forest cover, they are now more exposed. How were these massive sandstone towers actually created? When the oceans rose in the Mesozoic Era, this land was also covered by a salty sea. For millions of years, sediments were deposited at its bottom. When the sea receded, tectonic forces broke up the sandstone plate. Hot lava gushed up from the depths of the earth and then everything froze and thawed, cracked and eroded several times. That’s how these remarkable rugged sandstone formations were created.

Climbing Up to the Pravčice Gate
In the first part of our hike, we were treading on a path of stones, some of which were quite sharp. Don’t forget to wear proper hiking boots!

At the first big bend, there are information boards (in Czech, German and English) about the fire, but also about how nature can renew itself. Even so, it will take years before new green foliage covers the traces of the catastrophic fire.

Around the bend, the “consistency” of the trail began to change. Large pieces of stone were replaced by fine grey sand. We also met a few cyclists. As this trail is not suitable for biking, these hikers had to push their bikes in front of them. We were quite surprised because there were also bike racks down at the beginning.

Let’s go back to the past. Among the great enthusiasts of the local landscape were descendants of noble families (Kinský, Thun), who started to build forest trails and viewpoints. In this way, they provided work for the poor inhabitants and also helped to popularise hiking. Hiking clubs were founded here, maps were published, hiking trails were marked (we followed the red trail), and tourists could come here without a guide. And the interest persists to this day. It is crowded especially in the summer months.
The climb was not difficult and the weather was perfect for the hike. As we climbed higher, the burnt trees became fewer and greenery became more abundant.

Even the cyclists didn’t push their bikes anymore. In fact, it wouldn’t have been possible, so they finally had to park their bikes. The Pravčice Gate could only be reached on foot; in the 1860s, it used to be possible on horseback.

We still had to climb the wooden stairs, which was the most unpleasant part for me (also when descending). The stairs were uncomfortable and quite high. At the top, however, we were in for a reward – the view of the Pravčice Gate in all its splendour, as well as the building, carved into the rock next to this natural gate.

At the end of the 19th century, the owner of this territory was the Austrian-Czech nobleman Edmund Clary-Aldringen. After the death of his beloved wife, he increasingly found solace in nature. However, he not only admired the landscape but also tried to make it accessible to others. Edmund hired cheap labour from Italy, built a trail to the Pravčice Gate (he named the trails after family members – we followed Gabriela’s Path) and built the Falcon’s Nest Chateau (now a restaurant – the building was being renovated at the time of our visit). They even started charging admission here. Thus the Pravčice Gate became one of the very first tourist attractions in Europe.

In the past, you could walk on the rock arch like on a bridge. However, the condition of the natural formation has deteriorated significantly over the years due to the large number of visitors and the weather. When cracks appeared at the bottom in 1982, access to the gate was prohibited. In order to preserve the unique morphological monument for future generations, this ban is still in force today. Even the heroes from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) were not allowed to enter the arch, although it looks like they do in the film. However, these scenes were made up later in the studio.

Nevertheless, the view from under the gate is just as fascinating. There are a few tables, and when you take a sip of a chilled Kofola (a Czech Coke), you too will get a wonderful sense of healthy exercise in the fresh air, as well as the majestic nature all around.

You can also admire nature and its creations from several viewing platforms. The view is far and wide, but the Pravčice Gate will still attract your eyes – like a strong magnet. After all, it is the largest natural rock gate on the European mainland!

The sandstone gate has a span of 26.5 metres, the width of the arch is 7-8 metres and the height of the arch is 16 metres. The unique natural bridge has already fascinated visitors in the past. The first written mention dates back to 1410. In 1831, the famous Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen visited Bohemian Switzerland. He mentioned it in his travel notes. 20 years later, he returned here again.

Scientists, too, are interested in the monumental rock arch, observing and studying it. They find the arch too fragile and thin to support its own weight and to withstand changes in the outside temperature. They are now inclined to believe that the gate is made up of two separate rocks.
After we had our fill of those beautiful sights, we returned the same way.

Practical information:
Website: Pravčice Gate
Opening hours:
28 March – October: daily from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
November – March: Fridays and weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission fee: adults 4 €, children 1,50 €, students and pensioners: 1,50 € (2024)
To avoid waiting in line, you can order tickets online: HERE
Parking: HERE
Map – source: https://pbrana.cz/

In the Wild Gorge

Another attractive destination in this part of Bohemian Switzerland is the Edmund Gorge on the Kamenice River. Edmund Clary-Aldringen invested 17,000 gold coins and again hired two hundred Italian workers to stamp out tunnels and make hiking trails. In addition, he also built a new ford on the river and introduced boat trips.

At the time of our visit, Edmund’s Gorge was still closed due to the aftermath of the aforementioned great fire. However, we were able to visit the smaller but also impressive Wild Gorge.
The entrance to the gorge is near the village of Mezná, at the Na vyhliadke guesthouse. A signboard with cheerful characters enjoying a boat ride between the rocky cliffs will show you the direction.

The lower we descended, the darker and colder it got. However, I was worried more about the idea of having to climb back up the same way afterwards…

Then, finally, we saw the Kamenice River. We crossed the bridge and continued along the bank.

We admired large boulders, many covered with moss, forming all sorts of, sometimes even a bit scary, formations.

This walk is certainly very pleasant on sweltering summer days, you are in the shade the whole time. So even in summer, it pays to have at least some sort of thin light jacket with you.

Our guide also showed us some strange spots on the rock on the other bank, which supposedly phosphoresce at night. That’s why people used to be afraid to go down into the gorge, as they thought the lights were caused by ghosts.

At the end of the trail, there was a small dock where boats were waiting for us to take a short cruise down the river.

As I expected, the hike back up to the guesthouse was strenuous, but I made it and then just looked forward to the wellness at Spa Teplice. More about that in the next article. 🙂

More information: Hřensko

Our group combined a hike to the Pravčice Gate with a visit to the gorge – we were able to do so leisurely in one day, but I think that if you want to enjoy nature more, go on longer hikes or visit other places, then it is definitely better to come here at least for a long weekend.

Where to Eat:
Of course, we were hungry after the first hike. We chose the Kortus Restaurant (and hotel) in the village of Vysoká Lipa with honest Czech cuisine. The choice fell on beef goulash. Even though I knew we still had another hike up the gorge, I couldn’t resist and ordered a dessert as well. I was intrigued by the name which I had never heard before: Žahour. It was fresh blueberries mixed with sour cream, served with vanilla ice cream and topped with pistachios.

The dessert was delicious and I definitely deserved it for completing both hikes!
For more tips on tours in this region: Ústí nad Labem Region and Visit Czechia

Text: © Copyright Ingrid, Travelpotpourri
Fotos: © Copyright Ingrid, Travelpotpourri