Castles on the rocks
Valdstejn
At the end of the Mesozoic era lay in the places of the Bohemian Paradise Sea. Island in sea is Krkonoše and jizerské hory nowadays. Rains and winds for a few million years decreased river classify weathered rock and decayed less resistant minerals that are in the estuary settled into the massive buildup. Cretaceous sea eventually left the Czech massif, leaving behind a very clean fine-grained quartz sands future rocks of the Bohemian Paradise, just what we see around Valdštejn.
Postcard from year 1897
Vadlštejn castle was founded in the second half of the 13th century. It was abandoned during the 16th century. František Josef of Valdštejn had built a wooden chapel dedicated to the most popular Czech Baroque future saint Jan of Nepomuk sometime between July 1705 and October 1709.
The current chapel. Jan Nepomuk replaced the original wooden in the 20's of the 18th century. The premises is entered through a stone bridge with copies of statues saint patrons (the originals are in the chapel).
Altar in the chapel
Valdštejn was one of the favorite places of outstanding personalities, among them at least by the Czech composer Josef Bohuslav Foerster.
Stairs to the dungeon
Contact
Geopark UNESCO Český ráj
Jiří Vlasák
e-mail:vlasak@geopark-ceskyraj.cz
http://www.geopark-ceskyraj.cz
