Turnov: Garnet Craft, Culture and Trails along the Jizera

Turnov combines Bohemian craft traditions with cultural sites and trails along the Jizera. Particularly characteristic is the work with Bohemian garnets: the town is known for its jewellery making, and the 18th century is regarded as the golden age of stoneworking, when local craftspeople processed the famous Bohemian garnets. When you explore Turnov, you encounter a combination of craftsmanship, history and landscape.

Culture and Craft in Turnov

At the Muzeum Českého ráje, the Klenotnice displays jewellery, vessels made of precious and fine stones, as well as repoussé silverwork from 1891 to 1954. The museum also includes the permanent climbing exhibition “Mountaineering – From the Bohemian Paradise to the Summits of the World”. The museum’s location is specific and useful for orientation in the town: it is 100 metres from náměstí Českého ráje, about five minutes from the central bus station and 20 minutes from the railway terminal. For visitors with different interests, the museum offers several points of access side by side: jewellery, vessels, silverwork and the climbing exhibition combine material art, craftsmanship and mountaineering. The vocational school founded in 1884 complements this offering with training in the processing of metals and stones. This allows a cultural stop to be explored in different thematic ways.

The Vocational School for the Processing of Metals and Stones in Turnov was founded in 1884 and is now the Střední uměleckoprůmyslová škola. Turnov Synagogue also offers a deep insight into the history of the town: it dates from the early 18th century and is the only synagogue in Northern Bohemia to have survived the Nazi occupation. The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is a significant sacred building with stained-glass windows.

Trails through the Jizera Valley

The Zámecká naučná stezka leads from the centre of Turnov through the Jizera valley towards Hrubý Rohozec. Information boards there help with identifying local animals and plants. In the summer months, Hrubý Rohozec can be reached via the Zlatá stezka and a staircase of the Zámecká naučná stezka.

National Cycle Route No. 14 runs through Turnov from Hrádek nad Nisou via Liberec, Český Dub and Turnov to Jičín. The Greenway Jizera includes a visitor route section from Turnov-Dolánky via Malá Skála to Líšný. Another historical point of reference is Dlaskův statek in Dolánky u Turnova, 3 km from Turnov. It is a typical and exceptionally well-preserved example of a house from the Pojizeří region. The former yeoman farmstead and manorial farm were built in 1716 in the picturesque Jizera valley and declared a National Cultural Monument of the Czech Republic in 2010.

Which Location Suits Your Stay

When choosing your accommodation, you can first distinguish between different focuses: cultural destinations in Turnov itself, or trails, historic sites and nature experiences in the Jizera valley.

Further travel destinations to research: Chutnovka, Vichova Nad Jizerou, Rakousy, Kostalov, Libštát, Radostná Pod Kozákovem, Chuchelna, Klokočí U Turnova.

To the overarching travel overview: Okres Semily.