Town of Rocks: Stairways to the stars

It is widespread unknown but a place you will never forget when have seen, The Adrspach Rocks – sometime calles “Teplice Rocks” – are the greatest town of rocks in Europe. The unusual set of sandstone formations cover 17 km2 in northeastern Bohemia, Czech Republic.

As a visitor you will pass under massive Cathedral Walls, stroll through the narrow glen of Ann´s Valley, visit picuresque corners and magnificent viewing points. The varied and curious shapes of the rock spires will inspire you as they did visitors from several centuries ago.

The landscape is breathtaking with her towers, needles, bridges and waterfalls, leders, stairways to the sky, lakes and cliffs. Mysterios is the history of the place: Nearby living People did not knovv much about the rock labyrinths in the Adrspach and Teplice vicinity for centuries. Local settlers only ventured to go there if they felt endangered in their homes as they could and refuge in the narrow gorges and caves of the rock area.

Only around the year 1700, the first tourists and hikers began to come here from the neighbouring Silesia. ln the 18th century, most of the labyrinth was covered with a dense beech and dark forest.

The oldest depiction of the Adrspach Rocks dates back to 1739. After that the Rocks were visited by a string of prominent historical personalities such as the Prussian Queen Louise, the Polish King and Saxon Prince Elector Friedrich August, the Emperor Joseph ll, Karl the Emperor of Austria and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

They´re all were fascinated from the big loop of 3.5 km that leads you through the labyrinth of rocks and canyons in approx three hours. Some of the fantastic names of the rocks and needles given by the first hikers such as the Lovers, Sugar Cone, Elsa Tower and have been used since then, others are newer.

Almost all these names try to catch the likeness of a particular person or scene. Using your imagination you will certainly and other names of the numerous boulders, rocks, towers and spires.

People say the Rocks could be still remained unknown untill today if there were not this big fire of 1824. It lasts for several weeks and almost all the forest covering the rocks was burned. Only for this did the labyrinths become visible and nore accessible.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the owners of the Adrspach demesne began to build the first netvvork of pathways. Today the Adrsbach and Teplice Rocks rightfully rank among the most admired natural sights in the Czech republik. They cover more territory than the National Natural Park of Adršpach-Teplice Rocks and all around the scene you could have a walk through a wild rocky labyrinth of breathtaking beauty. Moreover, these rocks are a well-known paradise for rock climbers, so the town Teplice nad Merují near the rocks is the venue of the annual International Climbing Film Festival.

A nature trail devoted to the memory of Josef Vavrušek, which was opened in 1999, will take you through the area designated for tourists. Fifteen panels placed around the entire route contain not only texts on the history of the rocks but also interesting information about flora and fauna as well as many photograps and illustrations.

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