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What is written in
English in this Web-site?
a)
Basic INFO about Mnichovo Hradiště
b) History
and other info about the
Mnichovo Hradiště Castle
Dear visitors,
We welcome you in Mnichovo Hradiste, in the centre of the Jizera region, and its sorroundings. You are staying in a famous
historical area, whose settlement is proved as early as the neolitic period by the archeological research.
The river Jizera, running through the countryside, meant not only the natural way of transport, but it also provided agreeable
conditions for settling this region. The nearby sandstone rocks afforded rather a safe place to living. In various places there
were discovered traces of the neolitic period, but also the culture of urn fields, Lusatian, Silesian-Platenice and Turnov type
culture. On the hill of Muzsky we can find also traces of Celtic settlements. All the results of the archeological research can be
seen in the local museum.
The beginning of the town itself is connected with the nearby village Klaster Hradiste nad
Jizerou, where a Cistercian
monastery was established in 1150 on the place of an old Slavonic fortification. In 1245 and 1280 the monks built a new stately
monastery with an imposing Church of Virgin Mary in Burgundy Cistercian Gothic style (it was by the way the first construction
of this type to the east of the Rhine). The monastery was destroyed during Hussite wars in 1420. Later the ruins were rebuilt in
a Renaissance castle and then changed into a brewery by the Wallensteins in 1852. The most precious remains still preserved
is the main church portal.
In the time of building the Cistercians decided to establish their own town, the first written record of which dates back to
1279. They chose a good place near the village Rybitvi' already existing at that time on the crossing of the roads leading to
Mladá Boleslav, Turnov and Jičín. The town emblem (two crossed abbot crooks in the red field with a jewel of the gold or silver
infula), which is still being used, reminds us of the ecclesial origine of the town. The monks built a merchant town whose all
houses were constructed mostly of wood. No wonder that it caught fire twice in its history and was completely burned, the last
fire happened during the Thirty Years' War in 1643. After that stone started to be used for building.
The property, originally belonging to the Cistercian monks, was changing owners until it was acquired by the family of
Budovec of Budov. The most famous member of the family, Vaclav Budovec of Budov, the great Czech thinker and
statesman, executed in 1621 for his participation in the anti-Habsburg rebellion, built quite an ostentatious Renaissance castle on the place
of the old fortification. After his death Albrecht of Wallenstein, the famous warrior, acquired the estates. Then he donated it to
his cousin Maxmillian of Wallenstein. And it is the Wallenstein family who the future history of the town and its surroundings is
connected with. They owned the properties until 1945.
During the time of Ernest Joseph Wallenstein in 1697 to 1700 the castle was rebuilt by the Italian architect Marcus Antonius
Canevalle, who annexed also other buildings and gave the castle its up-to-date appearance. Salla terrena, originating from
1711, is the work of Nicholas Raimondi.
The baroque castle is a unique symetrical building consisting of three wings and surrounded by the French park with a stable
and a coach house at its sides, the salla terrena is situated just opposite the castle. The other part of the park was established
in the English style and uncommon trees were planted out there. The former monastery also belongs to the castle. Its part is
the Church of Three Kings from 1694 to 1699 connected with richly decorated
St. Ann's Chapel where the lapidary of the unique
scuptures by Platzer, Braun and Jeli'nek was established. In the chapel there are the remains of Albrecht of Wallenstein, the
Duke of Frydiant, the famous warrior from the Thirty Years' War, who was murdered in Cheb in 1634. In the castle there are rich
expositions with unique exhibits and originally equipped representative halls. World famous are above all the collections of
Delft pottery and Japanese and Chinese porcelain and miniatures.
And which are other places to be visited? The baroque Church of St. Jacob from 1726 is worth visiting, it was built on the
remains of an old Gothic church from the end of 13th century. The cemetery round the church has been closed, but the most
precious tombstones have still been preserved, e.g. the tombstone of Vincenc of Wallenstein and above all the Empire
tombstone of Elizabeth Koller, mother of the Austrian commander and diplomat from the time of Napoleonic wars, made by
master Rudolph Schadow from Vienna.
It is not too far from the St. Jacob's Church to the square where we can see several interesting buildings. First of all it is the
new Renaissance town hall placed in the middle of the square which dates from the 90s of the last century. Inside the
building the newly restored theatre and a ceremonial hall are situated. The interior of the hall is considered to be the most
beautiful in the vicinity. The northern side of the square is dominated by the post office building built in the late-19th
century
style. In the west and in the south you can admire several houses, built in the late baroque style, and the Empire building of
the hotel U Hroznu decorated with four Tuscan columns. The other buildings lost their historical value due to insensitive
modifications. The visitors can get refreshments in several good restaurants. There is a good connection both to Liberec and
Prague, also to Jablonec nad Nisou. You can travel by train to Hradec Kralové via
Jičín, or to the opposite direction to Železny Brod and Tanvald. The latter places are the gateways both to the Jizera Mountains and the Giant Mountains.
The surroundings of Mnichovo Hradiste is very interesting and it can offer visitors whatever they may
require: architectonical sights secular and ecclesial, beautiful scenery along the rivers
Jizera and Mohelka, bulky sandstone rocktowns and recreation
lakes.
If you go to the north from the castle and follow the green touristic sign, you get to the hill called
Káčov on the top of which a unique eruptive rock of basalt can be found and in the surroundings interesting plants and animals can be observed. If you
descend from Kacov, you get to the ruins of the old castle Zasadka and from there across the bridge to an old village
Mohelnice. There is preserved an old Romanesque church from the beginning of 13th century. The next village Klaster
Hradiste, which has already been mentioned above, is situated to the south of Mohelnice, on the way the visitors can admire the beautiful
romantic scenery of this region. The red touristic sign will lead the visitors to the enclosure Klokocka. This place is known for
the old legend about the miraculous well, which the baroque Chapel of St. Stapin was built on.
If you leave Mnichovo Hradiste and follow the red touristic sign to the east then you reach the ruins of the rock castle
Valecov built in 14th century and from there further to the unique rock formation called
Drabske Rooms, once an old Slavonic fortification, which was converted into a wood rock castle in 15th century. On the way to Drabske Rooms tourists can climb
to the top of the hill Muzsky (463 metres high), the highest peak in our area. The tumulous on its top was built as a memorial
to the soldiers who had died during the Prussian - Austrian War in 1866. A lot of battles took place in Mnichovo Hradiste
surroundings and are documented by very many sandstone monuments of the fallen.
The red sign will lead you to the tourist resort Přýhrazy surrounded by wonderful rock towns and dreamy pine woods. If you
are fond of swimming you can visit the Komarovsky Lake on a campsite. It can be reached from Mnichovo Hradiste either via
Knezmost or via Bosen and Nova Ves (this route is shorter than the first one). The lake is surrounded by deep forests which
afford pleasant walks satisfactory for everybody. The countryside in the direction to
Mladá Boleslav is rather drab and flat. The only remarkable sight here are the ruins of
the castle Zvfretice, which dates back to the first half of 14th century. In the villages near Mnichovo Hradiste, e.g. Loukov, Loukovec, Brezina, Zd'ar, Dneboh, old cottages are preserved, they are
typical for this region. Visitors interested in old architecture have the possibility to visit the ethnografic exposition in the local
museum in Mnichovo Hradiste.
The countryside, whose centre Mnichovo Hradiste is, is full of beauty well worth seeing. No wonder it was called the
Gateway to the Czech Paradise. Those who visited it once come back here again because they can always discover something
new and find new experiences.
We wish you a pleasant stay here and we hope you will come to like the town and its surroundings. Welcome!
Written by: Mgr. Eduard Havránek
Translated by: Mgr. Helena Klegerová
