České Švýcarsko National Park

Bohemian Switzerland National Park protects the best-known stretch of sandstone country in northern Bohemia, right along the border with Germany. It is the youngest national park in the Czech Republic, established on 1 January 2000, and its territory stretches between the towns of Hřensko, Chřibská and Brtníky in the Děčín district. The village of Vysoká Lípa sits right in the middle of the park and serves as a convenient base for hiking trips into it.

How big is the park and what makes it distinctive?

The park covers 79.23 square kilometers, and its landscape is dominated by sandstone to such a degree that geologists refer to a "sandstone phenomenon" here. Deeply cut canyons carved by the Elbe, Kamenice and Křinice rivers sit alongside towering rock walls, rock towers, flat plateaus, overhangs and rock "cities," with some formations even weathered into mushroom-like shapes. Across the border in Germany, the same sandstone landscape continues directly into Saxon Switzerland National Park — together the two form one continuous rock formation, even though they are administered separately.

What are the main sights inside the park?

The symbol of the whole region is Pravčická brána, the largest natural rock arch in Europe, spanning 26.5 meters with a height of 16 meters. It's the single spot that draws most visitors to the park, though the area directly under the arch has long been closed to foot traffic to protect the formation itself.

Just as popular are the narrow rock gorges near Hřensko, cut by the Kamenice river — Divoká soutěska ("Wild Gorge," about 450 meters long) and Edmundova soutěska (about 960 meters long). Both can only be experienced by boat, in traditional wooden boats guided by local boatmen, which makes the passage itself part of the attraction — gliding between rock walls that rise dozens of meters on either side.

What does the park look like from Vysoká Lípa?

Vysoká Lípa, a small village inside the park's borders, is the starting point for several popular hiking trails leading toward Pravčická brána and deeper into the sandstone labyrinth. Because it sits right in the middle of the protected area, hikes starting here reach the park's most distinctive rocky terrain fairly quickly, while bypassing the busier crowds around Hřensko.

Frequently asked questions

When was Bohemian Switzerland National Park established? The park was created on 1 January 2000, making it the youngest national park in the Czech Republic.

How large is the park? It covers 79.23 square kilometers in the Ústí nad Labem Region, within the Děčín district.

What is Pravčická brána? It's the largest natural rock arch in Europe, 26.5 meters wide and 16 meters tall, and the park's best-known landmark.

Can visitors travel through the Kamenice river gorges? Yes, Divoká soutěska and Edmundova soutěska can only be visited by boat, guided by local boatmen.

How does this park relate to Saxon Switzerland? Saxon Switzerland is a neighboring but separately administered national park just across the border in Germany — together the two parks form one continuous sandstone landscape.