The small tourist town of Dubá, which lies at an altitude of 267 metres above sea level, can be found on a map around 60 km directly to the north of Prague. It is surrounded by a small pocket of wild yet stunning countryside, which gives the area its name of “Dubá Switzerland” thanks to its appearance. This is a destination chosen by a great many tourists from the Czech Republic, Germany, Holland, and other corners of Europe who mainly come here on holiday during the summer months and who can’t help but come back. Even the cooler months of the year attract young people with a bare minimum of tourist equipment to enjoy the unforgettable experiences offered by the gorges and deep forests.
What you will not find here are expansive industrial zones, but that is not to say that there are not plenty of small shops and important facilities on the square and its surroundings, such as a doctor’s surgery, a post office, and a number of pubs and restaurants that offer excellent food and various brands of renowned Czech beer. Swimming enthusiasts can make use of the pool and campsite of Nedamov, which lies not far from the town. Or if you don’t fancy swimming or wandering through the local countryside, then why not try some fishing?
The local authority at the local town hall is responsible for administering 20 municipalities and local communities that are home to more than 1800 inhabitants. This figure increases manifold during the summer months, but in spite of this you can still find peace and quiet amidst the rocks that is quite uncommon for tourist areas in this day and age.
There are a number of marked hiking trails and cycling paths in the area that lead off from Dubá in all directions, trails and paths that will take you to peaceful places of virgin nature and hills with views that stretch far into the distance. One such peak is the hill known as “Nedvězí”, from which visitors can look over a third of all Bohemia on a clear day. Among the other observation points here are the remains of the castle known as “Čap”, Maršovský Hill, Dubová Mountain, and so on. Meanwhile, the deep gorges are home to hidden caverns (some of which were used as hermitages) and unusual rock formations and rock towns, such as the one at Pustý Chateau.
The area around the Liběchovka Stream has been declared a nature reserve thanks to its intactness and occurrence of rare animals, whilst a limited number of moufflon sheep are bred at the nearby game park of Vřísek. Indeed this sort of sheep can rarely be seen in the wild. If you are lucky, you might just catch a glimpse of a muskrat or certain rare species of bird, such as the stork or raven. The eagle owl also builds its nest here high up in those places that cannot be reached by others.
Perhaps you would like to learn a little more about the local history, in which case you are sure to be drawn by the mysterious castle of Houska or the royal castle of Bezděz, a place in which Emperor Charles IV took his seat. According to legend, both castles are connected by an underground passageway of tens of kilometres in length.
You are bound to come across a number of well-preserved timbered folk cottages and much larger farmsteads in the villages that lie all around Dubá, buildings that commemorate the sometimes-troubled history of the area. Indeed Dubá has survived a number of devastating fires and even lived through bombing that occurred during the Second World War. The town held large markets as the one-time district capital and the centre of the hop-growing region, whilst the former oast house (for drying hops) is now a Category I technical monument. Dubá was settled as far back as the 11th century, but was first referred to in writing in the year 1253. The ownership of the town alternated between the noble line of Berk, Albrecht of Valdštejn, and Albrecht’s assassin Walter Buttler, as well as the art-loving Sweerts-Špork family under which the town expanded in genuine wealth and Baroque-style beauty.
When you arrive in the town, it is impossible to miss the massive Baroque Church of the Retrieval of the Holy Cross (kostel Nalezení sv. Kříže), whilst the square is home to a statue of the Holy Trinity (Nejsvětější Trojice) that dates back to 1726. On top of that, the rotunda Chapel of St. Barbara (kaple Sv. Barbory) can be found in the forest that stands over the chateau of Nový Berštejn. The town is also able to boast a number of highly-valued statues, as well as a unique cross of conciliation, whilst the originally Romanesque Church of St. Wenceslas (kostel sv. Václava) is undergoing extensive repair work in the nearby Deštná. The surrounding area will also provide you with varied traces of settlements of old, such as the remains of castles for thieves, isolated structures, and ancient strongholds.
It is something of a miracle that the town of Dubá was able to resist the endeavours of the Communist government to develop industry here and only a few scars are there to be seen on the town architecture.
Dubá also has a great deal to boast in terms of culture. The statue of the hermit St. Procopius (sv. Prokop) stands to remind us of the days in which the Czech romantic poet Karel Hynek Mácha wandered through the local forests here. This monument brings back the famous legend of the saint and Mácha’s celebrated work of poetry known as “Máj”. In honour of the 100th anniversary of Mácha’s death in 1936, Bohumil Kinský published an extensive book on Dubá Switzerland as one of a series of guidebooks, which was preceded by Fridrich Bernau’s publication “The Political District of Dubá” from 1888. Nowadays, Dubá is also well-known as the setting of the now traditional International Jazz Days and there are occasional organ and chamber concerts to attend. “Podbezdězský spolek intelektuální, poetický a okrašlovací“ (“The Podbezděz Intellectual, Poetic, and Aesthetic Association”) operates here, whilst the surrounding area is home to the weekend and summer residences of a number of personalities of the Czech cultural scene – poets, musicians, and artists. Little wonder!
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