Tolštejn

The remains of a medieval castle, whose original German name Tollenstein or the older Dohlenstein refers to the "Kavčí skála" or "Jackdaw Rock," rise on two phonolite rock outcrops on the northern side of the Lusatian Mountains in the southern part of the Šluknov Spur. This ruin, located in the Děčín district approximately seven kilometers southwest of Varnsdorf and two kilometers south of Jiřetín pod Jedlovou, on whose cadastral area it stands, was built at the beginning of the 14th century. While to the south and east both rocks drop almost vertically down, the western ridge connects the castle grounds with Mount Jedlová, and from the north the defense was originally ensured by ramparts and moats. Thanks to its strategic position, the castle guarded the only passable crossing from Lusatia to Bohemia, and over the centuries it belonged to the Vartenberks, the Berks, or the Šlejnic family, and gave its name to the entire Tolštejn estate. In the 17th century, the site was abandoned, gradually began to decay, and today it is protected as a cultural monument, which is also an important refuge for rare thermophilic plant species. Today, visitors are drawn here not only by mysterious legends and the trace of famous historical visitors, but also by the freely accessible grounds with a paid rock lookout point that offers an impressive view over both Czech and Saxon territory.