The Bozkov Dolomites Caves – Natural and landscape values of the Czech Republic 3.

Location: Bozkov, Bohemian Paradise

The Bozkov Dolomite Caves are situated on the northern slope of the Bozkov village in the hilly landscape of the Krkonoše foothills. The Caves are the longest cave system in the Czech Republic formed in dolomite limestone.

The entrance into the underground space was discovered by dolomite miners in the 1940s, but only in 1957 the underground system of fissure corridors, partly filled with water, was discovered. The Bozkov dolomite caves is a labyrinth of underground corridors and cavities situated not very deep under the surface. Alongside the rare stalactite decoration the walls of the underground corridors and halls are decorated with the unique honeycomb and reticular silica structures formed by so –called selective corrosion. The visit culminates in the Lake Dome with the beautifully lit largest underground lake in Bohemia.

The Bozkov dolomite caves is the only cave system in North Bohemia accessible to the public. The groups are recommended to reserve the guided tour in advance: www.caves.cz. The caves and their surroundings is a protected area conditioned by the nature and landscape protection law.

The Krkonoše (Giant) Mountains National Park - Natural and landscape values of the Czech Republic 2.

Location: Giant Mountains Region 

The Krkonoše (Giant) Mountains are situated in north-eastern Bohemia. The state border with Poland divides the entire mountain range into two different parts. The Czech Krkonoše Mountains over an area of 454 km2, cover about 2/3 of the whole area. Their slopes are more extensive, more broken and milder than those ones in their northern Polish part (with an area of 177 km2).

It was the first national park established in Bohemia in 1963. The national park now covers an area of about 370 km2. The Administrations of the National Park seats in Vrchlabí. The Giant Mountains is an important region of nature, culture and history too. The peaks of the Giant Mountains tower above the alpine treeline, and their surface with residues of Pleistocene glaciation is a unique gallery of wind, frost, and ice shaped landscape. Visitors find here extraordinarily varied mosaic of montane spruce, mixed forests, alpine meadows or sub-Arctic peat bogs. 

It is really an island of the Arctic in the middle of Europe. Due to the unique nature richness, landscape beauty, easy accessibility ehe national park is a traditional, most frequently visited tourist area of Europe. Already in the 18th and the 19th century ascents to the Schneekoppe (Sněžka) were common. So many famous artists, like Johann Wolfgang Goethe, or Caspar David Friedrich hiked through the mountains to find inspiration. The Krkonoše mountains are a traditional winter sports centre in Middle Europe too. The largest mountain resorts are located on the Czech side in Pec pod Sněžkou, Špindlerův Mlýn, Harrachov and Janské Lázně. 

Bohemian Switzerland National Park – Natural and landscape values of the Czech Republic 1.

Location: Ústi nad Labem Region 

The Bohemian Switzerland National Park (Národní park České Švýcarsko), which was established on 1st January 2000 and covers an area of nearly 80km2, is the youngest one of the four national parks in the Czech Republic. On its northern side borders itis linked to the Saxon Switzerland National Park in Germany.

The National Park is famous of the unique sandstone rock towns with the occurance of rare plant and animal species and islands of well-preserved (pine, herb-rich beech) woods. Natural values of the National Park have also been acknowledged within the European Union by including it in the prestigious list of European conservation areas called Natura 2000. The park also represents beautiful samples from the local folk architecture (half-timbered houses etc.) in the village of Mezná.

The most widely known rock formation of the Bohemian Switzerland National Park is the Pravčická Brána, the largest natural stone bridge on our continent and symbol of the entire area. The span of the arch at the bottom is 26.5 m, the height of the opening is 16 m, width 7-8 m, minimum thickness 3 m, and the surface area of the bridge is 21 m above its base.