Welcome to Lusatian Mountains

... the Lusatian Mountains above all I took to my heart. At first I was suspicious, even ironical. What they are for mountains, when their altitude does not reach the level of the Bohemian-Moravian uplands? But very soon I learnt that they indeed are real mountains, only in a reduced scale. Their peaks project monumentally above the surrounding landscape, the slopes of the highest hills are covered by stony debris, from the woods frequently protrude rocky formations, the ridges and their forks are divided by deep valleys. And all this is wrapped in beautiful woods, in several places containing pristine beech forests. I know of no more beautiful place than the Lusatian Mountains in autumn.

(M. Sovadina, Jizerské a Lužické hory 6/1997)

The Lusatian and Zittau Mountains are a small border mountain range lying on the border of northern Bohemia and Saxony between Děčín, Liberec, Česká Lípa, and Zittau. The Czech part of the mountain range is called the Lusatian Mountains (Lužické hory), while the German part is referred to as the Zittau Mountains (Zittauer Gebirge).

Geology

Geologically, the mountains are predominantly formed by Upper Cretaceous sandstones, separated on the northern and northeastern side from the older granites of the Lusatian pluton and slightly metamorphosed Palaeozoic rocks of the Ještěd crystalline complex by a distinct fault called the Lusatian Fault. Along this fault, older rocks were uplifted to the surface before the end of the Cretaceous period, and in the vicinity of Doubice or Kyjov, small blocks of Jurassic limestone, which do not occur anywhere else in Bohemia, were dragged up from the basement. In the Tertiary period, basaltic and phonolitic magma penetrated from the depths of the Earth through fissures in granites and sandstones, and its solidification gave rise to numerous sub-surface laccoliths and veins, as well as domes extruded onto the surface and more extensive surface flows.
In the Zittau Basin on the northern side of the mountains, lacustrine sediments with seams of low-quality coal (lignite) were deposited, which was later mined in the vicinity of Hrádek nad Nisou, Olbersdorf, and Turów.

During the Quaternary, softer sandstones were gradually eroded, exposing the harder igneous rocks and carving them into elongated ridges and distinctive conical or dome-shaped peaks, creating the characteristic relief of the mountains. During the ice ages, a continental glacier expanded from the north, penetrating as far as Jítrava during the maximum glaciation, leaving behind glaciofluvial gravel sands with fragments of Scandinavian rocks and flints.
In the past, poor iron ore was mined around Mařenice, Polesí, and elsewhere, and small veins of copper, lead, and zinc sulfides with an admixture of silver were mined near Jiřetín pod Jedlovou. Jurassic limestone was mined at Vápenka near Doubice, and remarkable underground sand quarries can be found near Skalice, Prysk, or Velenice.

Hills and waters

Although the mountains here are not very high, they form an important climatic divide separating the Bohemian Basin from the northern flat landscape of Upper Lusatia and the Šluknov region. The highest mountain is Luž / Lausche (793 m), located directly on the Czech-German border, and other prominent peaks are Pěnkavčí vrch (792 m), Jedlová (776 m), Klíč (759 m), Hvozd / Hochwald (750 m), or Studenec (737 m). Other peaks exceeding 700 m include Velký Buk (736 m), Malý Buk (713 m), Vyhlídka (711 m), and Bouřný (703 m). In the Zittau Mountains, alongside Luž and Hvozd, the most significant peaks are Jonsberg (653 m), Buchberg (652 m), Töpfer (582 m), Oybin (514 m), and Breiteberg (510 m). In the vicinity of the Lusatian Fault, especially around Oybin and Jonsdorf, numerous sandstone rocks and larger rock towns were formed.

Thanks to abundant precipitation, the mountains are relatively rich in water. The Kamenice River originates here with its main tributary Chřibská Kamenice, as well as numerous tributaries of the Ploučnice River, such as Sporka, Dobranovský, and Boberský stream, Svitávka with Hamerský stream, or Panenský stream with Heřmanický and Kněžický stream. The northern slopes of the mountains are drained near Krásná Lípa by the Křínice River, flowing through Bohemian-Saxon Switzerland into the Elbe, and in the vicinity of Jiřetín by the Lužnička stream, which flows into the Mandau (Mandava) in Grossschönau. The Mandau empties in Zittau into the Lusatian Neisse, which flows here through a wide valley from Liberec and Hrádek nad Nisou. An important European watershed between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea passes along the main ridge of the mountains.
In the central part of the mountains, we can find several forest ponds, such as Hraniční, Bělský, Malý and Velký Jedlovský, or Svorský pond, while larger bodies of water are located at the foot of the mountains. On the southern side, these are notably Radvanecký, Cvikovský, Červený, and two Kunratice ponds, while on the north, there are Velký rybník and Světlík near Horní Podluží. Small water reservoirs are near Kyjov or Naděje, and the dam near Chřibská is water-management significant. For recreation, Olbersdorf Lake and Lake Kristýna, created by flooding former coal mines, are mainly used.

Woods

Forests cover more than half of the territory of the Lusatian and Zittau Mountains. Until intense colonization in the 13th and 14th centuries, the mountains were covered by an impenetrable border primeval forest dominated by beech and fir, mixed with spruce, ash, maple, elm, and other broad-leaved trees. With the boom of glassmaking after the 15th century, however, the original forests were gradually felled and later replaced by spruce or pine monocultures. Remnants of beech forests have survived only in isolated patches in remote locations and mountain peaks. Today, besides spruces and pines, we can see European beech, sycamore or Norway maple, ash, and occasionally linden, hornbeam, or elm. Oaks also grow in some places; particularly remarkable is the protected oak grove on Klíč, which is one of the highest elevated oak forests in Bohemia. Ash-alder floodplain forests can be found along streams in places.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the forests were heavily damaged by industrial emissions, and although air purity improved in the 1990s, unnatural spruce forests remain threatened and are less resilient to adverse weather conditions and insect pests. Since 2018, the bark beetle has been spreading significantly among them.

Vegetation

A number of typical plant species are found in the area, some of which are endangered. Botanically interesting environments notably include herb-rich beech forests, which transition lower down the slopes into sycamore beech forests and scree forests. In their undergrowth, species such as hollowroot, baneberry, nine-leaved and bulbiferous coralroot, sweet woodruff, dog's mercury, martagon lily, cuckoo-pint, or perennial honesty occur, and in places, mezereon can be encountered. Hard fern, sharp-flowered rush, opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage, wood melick, marsh bird's-foot trefoil, and pendulous sedge are also prominent. In higher elevations, white butterbur, arnica, alpine enchanter's-nightshade, fir clubmoss, chickweed wintergreen, and whorled Solomon's-seal occur. Spreading bellflower, common mouse-ear, field scabious, and oxeye daisy grow in meadows, and in spring, oxlip can also be found. Damp spots are inhabited by spring snowflake, marsh and common valerian, bogbean, lousewort, soft rush, and various sedge species. In some places, so-called orchid meadows have survived with abundant broad-leaved and common spotted-orchids, rarely accompanied by common twayblade and marsh helleborine; communities of wetlands and peat bogs with round-leaved sundew, cranberry, and narrow-leaved cottongrass are unique. In sparse forests and clearings, foxglove is abundant, having spread here from the west. The presence of glacial relics such as alpine aster, mountain chives, and fragrant woodsia is interesting, though the occurrence of the latter has not been confirmed in recent years. Marsh Labrador tea, alpine blue-sow-thistle, or darnel occur sporadically. A peculiarity is the occurrence of gametophytes of the Killarney fern in rock crevices.

Animal kingdom

Common forest species predominate in the local fauna. Herds of red deer and roe deer live here, wild boar is abundant, and around Prysk, artificially introduced mouflons can occasionally be spotted. A special feature is the presence of chamois, which were brought from the Alps in the early 20th century and released near Jetřichovice in the Děčín region, from where they spread to the western part of the Lusatian Mountains and acclimatized very well. In recent years, wolves have also occurred here. Among smaller mammals, European pine marten and beech marten, European polecat, European badger, red fox, stoat, least weasel, yellow-necked mouse, Eurasian shrew, and edible dormouse are common, while striped field mouse and hazel dormouse are rarer. Special attention is deserved by the occurrence of the Alpine shrew on Luž and Jedlová. Eurasian water shrew, Mediterranean water shrew, and Eurasian otter occur in streams, and various bat species hibernate in caves and old adits.

Among birds, the black stork and white stork are particularly striking; grey heron and great cormorant visit water reservoirs. The endangered corn crake inhabits meadows near Chřibská, Krásná Lípa, Prácheň, or in the Zittau Mountains, where Northern lapwing and whinchat can also be seen. In the former open-cast mine Olbersdorf, the European stonechat lives. Typical bird species are red crossbill, stock dove, European pied flycatcher and red-breasted flycatcher, spotted nutcracker, lesser spotted woodpecker, black woodpecker, and grey-headed woodpecker; white-throated dipper is bound to submontane streams, and common kingfisher occurs in places. Common raven nests in rocks, more rarely peregrine falcon and Eurasian eagle-owl; among other owls, Eurasian pygmy owl, boreal owl, and tawny owl live here. Among raptors, common buzzard, rough-legged buzzard, and common kestrel can be spotted, while northern goshawk or Eurasian sparrowhawk nest less frequently. During migration, hen harrier, western marsh harrier, red kite, black kite, European honey buzzard, and osprey are observed; white-tailed eagle and common crane also nest near Rybniště and Jablonné v Podještědí.
Trout mainly live in streams, the occurrence of European bullhead or brook lamprey is interesting, and weatherfish is reported from the foothills of the Zittau Mountains. Cleaner streams are inhabited by European crayfish; the endangered bivalve thick-shelled river mussel occurs in the Mandau. Among amphibians, common toad, common frog, smooth newt, alpine newt, and the rarer great crested newt live here, with fire salamander recorded sporadically. Marsh frog occurs near reservoirs in the eastern part of the mountains, while edible frog and pool frog occur in the northwestern part. Common spadefoot or European tree frog are rarer, and agile frog has been spreading here in recent years. Among reptiles, slow worm, sand lizard, viviparous lizard, grass snake, and European adder are common, while smooth snake is rarer.

Among butterflies, swallowtail, poplar admiral, or purple emperor can be seen, while Niobe fritillary, turquoise blue, and scarce copper are rarer. Forest ponds and peat bogs are inhabited by peatland dragonfly species, such as northern emerald or subarctic darner; the occurrence of four-spotted chaser is remarkable, ringed cordulegaster is abundant in clean streams, and bidentate goldenring at springs. Thermophilic species such as scarlet dragonfly, migrant hawker, and southern darter also live in the foothills. Mountain species communities of spiders and ground beetles, rove beetles, or longhorn beetles living in scree fields on Studenec or Klíč are interesting; the presence of mountain ant species and peat ant near Mařeničky also deserves attention.

Nature conservation

The Lusatian and Zittau Mountains form a protected landscape area, declared on the German side in 1958 and in Bohemia in 1976. In 2008, the even larger Zittau Mountains Nature Park was established on the German side, including the protected Mandau Valley and surrounding areas.
The most valuable sites are part of small-scale protected areas. Natural forest communities are protected in the Jezevčí vrch, Spravedlnost, Studený vrch, and Klíč reserves; the Vápenka reserve on Jurassic limestones near Doubice is also valuable. Marschnerova louka and Louka U Brodských are characterized by an abundant occurrence of orchid plants, but other endangered species can also be found here. An unusually extensive undergrowth of perennial honesty near Líska, a rich saffron site in Kytlice, wetlands at Noldenteich, at Brazilka, and peat bogs in Mařeničky are also protected. Interesting plants can also be found at Pustý zámek or Zlatý vrch, which are, however, mainly known as fine examples of columnar jointing of volcanic rocks. Sandstone Bílé kameny (White Stones) or Ledová jeskyně (Ice Cave) on Suchý vrch are also geologically remarkable.

Just beyond the boundaries of the protected landscape area are the bird reserves Světlík and Velký rybník near Rybniště, a flower-rich meadow in Pekelský Důl, the Máják-hill with a rich occurrence of lilies, romantic Pavlínino údolí (Pauline Valley), and geologically interesting natural monuments Panská skála and Dutý kámen. The mountain Luž / Lausche is protected on both sides of the state border, and the Jonsdorf rock city also enjoys special protection. Among other sites in the Zittau region, wetlands near Eichgraben, the Pochebach stream valley with Pochewiesen meadows, the hills Jonsberg, Kleiner Töpfer, Ameisenberg, Hvozd / Hochwald, or Hainberg with the Schindellöcher and Dachslöcher ravines are valuable. The landscape is also adorned by many memorial trees, the most famous of which are the yews in Krompach and Lückendorf.

To protect rare plants and animals, a network of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas within Natura 2000 was created. A varied mosaic of forest communities is protected at sites including Studenec, Spravedlnost - Chřibská, Údolí Chřibské Kamenice, Lužickohorské bučiny, Klíč, Jezevčí vrch, Suchý vrch - Naděje, Heights of the Zittau Mountains, and Bohemian Switzerland. The environment of the Svitávka and Horní Kamenice watercourses is valuable, an important population of alpine newt is at the Prácheň - Zicht site, and a colony of greater mouse-eared bats in the attic of the church in Chřibská is also protected. Important bird areas of European significance, Zittau Mountains and Elbe Sandstones, are also designated here, declared mainly for the protection of black woodpecker, peregrine falcon, Eurasian eagle-owl, and corn crake.

Numerous educational trails offer a closer acquaintance with nature and local attractions. Among the longest is the international educational trail Lusatian and Zittau Mountains in the eastern part of the mountains; the trail Around Studenec focuses on forest ecosystems, and Kögler's educational trail introduces the history and natural attractions around Krásná Lípa. Less demanding are the mining educational trail through the Milířka valley, the Sokol forestry educational trail, or the educational trail below Dymník; trails at Brazilka and Janské kameny near Krompach offer a short walk. A short trail near Křížový buk introduces border fortifications, and in Nový Bor there is an interesting trail dedicated to glassmaking history. In the German part of the mountains, the educational trail in the old Mühlsteinbrüche quarries near Jonsdorf is very attractive, and the nature trail around Waltersdorf is also interesting. In addition, there are other trails of local importance in the area.

Points of interest

The life of the local inhabitants was significantly influenced by glass production, the origins of which are documented here as early as the mid-13th century. Its tradition is still alive today mainly in Nový Bor and Kamenický Šenov, but significant glassworks can also be found in Polevsko, Kunratice, or Lindava. Textile manufacturing was no less important in the past, which can be explored in more detail in Großschönau. At present, small breweries in Cvikov, Česká Kamenice, Kytlice, Krásná Lípa, or Varnsdorf have gained considerable popularity.

In submontane villages, we find a number of interesting sights. In Jablonné v Podještědí, it is the Dominican monastery with the Baroque Church of St. Lawrence and St. Zdislava by J. L. Hildebrandt, in which Saint Zdislava is buried, or the lookout tower of the former Church of the Virgin Mary; in Česká Kamenice, the Church of St. James the Greater and the pilgrimage chapel of the Virgin Mary with an ambulatory will catch our attention. Mining Jiřetín pod Jedlovou with Křížová hora and an old silver mine is interesting, or Cvikov with the Church of St. Elizabeth and Calvary on Křížový vrch. The Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Mařenice is an ornament of the central part of the mountains, and we cannot overlook the Church of St. Anthony of Padua in Kytlice, the Church of St. Bartholomew in Hrádek nad Nisou, or the old glassmakers' cemetery in Kamenický Šenov. The unusual church in Oybin and the artistically valuable Kanitz-Kyaw tomb in Hainewalde are also worthy of attention.
Technical monuments include old water races carved into the rocks around Hamerský stream and Svitávka, the stone aqueduct in the former settlement Na Potokách, windmills in Světlík and Uhelná, or the Pipe House in Hartau.

The charm of the villages and towns is completed by folk architecture from the late 18th and 19th centuries. Typical is a three-part house with a central entrance hall separating a larger living room from a brick stable and pantry. On the Czech side, it is mostly timber-framed (log construction), while in Germany half-timbered houses predominate. A characteristic structural element is the timber arcaded support (podstávka / Umgebinde), supporting a log or half-timbered upper floor and gabled roof, which sometimes includes a low, elongated dormer with a row of small windows. Some houses have sandstone entrance portals, walls lined with variously profiled boards, and gables decorated with multicolored slate. Many beautiful houses have been preserved, for example, in Chřibská, Doubice, Jiřetín, Kamenický Šenov, Mařenice, Krompach, Horní and Dolní Světlá; ensembles of folk houses in Grossschönau, Waltersdorf, Jonsdorf, or Bertsdorf-Hörnitz are very interesting.

Frequently visited chateaux include Grabštejn, Lemberk, or nearby Zákupy, while repurposed chateaux in Česká Kamenice, Sloup, Hainewalde, and Nový Falkenburk in Jablonné are currently generally inaccessible. Ruins of several castles are preserved on steep hills. A unique jewel is the extensive ruin of the castle and monastery in Oybin, and the rock castle with a hermitage in Sloup is remarkable. Tolštejn is also relatively well preserved, and walls of the palace with a built-in lookout tower remain from Kamenický castle. Only small remnants of walls survive today from Milštejn, Fredevald, Starý Falkenburk, Karlsfried, and other small castles.

Beautiful distant views open up from many peaks, especially from Luž, Hvozd, Jedlová, Klíč, Studenec, Vlčí hora, Dymník, Töpfer, or Scharfenstein, and Breiteberg is also a picturesque landmark in the foothills of the Zittau Mountains. Remarkable natural formations are Bílé kameny, Dutý kámen, Pustý zámek, Zlatý vrch, Panská skála, or Ledová jeskyně near Naděje; on the German side, the Nonnenfelsen rocks, Grosse Felsengasse, and the Jonsdorf rock city with remarkable formations like Orgel and the sandstone quarries Mühlsteinbrüche are very attractive. A number of rocks are also used for rock climbing. The best known among them are Kelchstein and Rosensteine south of Oybin, the rock massif of Oybin Castle, the Nonnenfelsen group with the nearby Jonsdorfer Mönch tower, the Grätzer Höhle rocks below Töpfer, and the formations Uhusteine, Mönchswand, or Schalkstein. On the Czech side, Fellerova věž and Horní skály near Horní Sedlo, or the rock towers of Sloupské and Svojkovské skály are most popular. Via ferratas have been built in the Nonnenfelsen massif and on Alpiner Grat near Oybin.

Tourism

Tourist clubs were responsible for making the mountains accessible to tourists even before the end of the 19th century, with their members maintaining many access paths in the mountains. The most famous of these was Hřebenovka (Ridge Trail), marked in 1902 from Ještěd to Růžovský vrch and further extended in later years. We also owe the construction of numerous lookout towers, viewpoints, and mountain inns to tourist clubs. After 1945, however, the borders closed for many years, and most mountain huts on the Czech side were destroyed or fell apart due to neglected maintenance. Only at the end of the 20th century did the situation improve, and thanks to the growing interest of residents and visitors, the mountains began transforming into a picturesque landscape once again. Houses and monuments in submontane towns and villages are gradually being repaired, and once-destroyed chapels and crosses are appearing by the roads again. In 1993, the stone lookout tower on Jedlová was reopened, and two years later the neighboring inn was opened. In 1998, the lookout tower in the ruins of Kamenický castle was restored, and the excursion restaurant on Hrádek near Varnsdorf or the former inn on Janské kameny near Krompach also underwent reconstruction. At the eleventh hour, the unique iron lookout tower on Studenec was also saved from demolition.

Recreational activities in the summer season are offered by natural swimming sites in Jablonné or Sloup, Trixi-Park near Großschönau, Kristýna near Hrádek, and Olbersdorf Lake. In winter, provided there is enough snow, cross-country ski trails are maintained on both sides of the border, and ski slopes also operate in Polevsko, Horní Podluží, on Jedlová, and on the slope of Luž above Waltersdorf. Glass museums in Nový Bor and Kamenický Šenov, the Damask and Terry Museum in Großschönau, the Firefighting Museum in Nový Oldřichov, the Nature Park House in Waltersdorf, as well as the Butterfly House in Jonsdorf are certainly worth a visit.
Trips into the mountains can be combined with a ride on the narrow-gauge steam railway from Zittau to Jonsdorf and Oybin, or on the glassmakers' local railway from Česká Kamenice to Kamenický Šenov.

The Lusatian and Zittau Mountains still remain a relatively preserved area with numerous opportunities for recreation, easy hiking trips, cycling, rock climbing, and skiing.

Small Gallery of Lusatian Mountains

More pictures you may find on the Picture gallery.

Contact:

Author of the pages: Jiří Kühn
       e-mail: kuhn@natur.cuni.cz

Translation: Petr Kühn

Administration of the Protected Landscape Area Lusatian Mountains:
       Správa CHKO Lužické hory, Školní 12, CZ-471 25 Jablonné v Podještědí
       e-mail: luzhory@aopk.gov.cz

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