Discover Vysoké nad Jizerou

Vysoké nad Jizerou combines a theatre tradition, mountain landscapes and specific experiences for different types of holiday. If you would like to combine culture with walks, family activities or winter sports, you will find notable points of interest here: a festival of rural theatre ensembles, a museum with a long tradition, a trail described as child-friendly and the Šachty ski area on the edge of the town.

Theatre Tradition and Historical Traces

The annual festival Krakonošův divadelní podzim regularly takes place in Vysoké nad Jizerou in mid-October. The Divadelní okruh also links back to the local theatre history: it begins in the town square and was established on 17 August 1986 on the occasion of celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the local amateur theatre. The stone Church of St Catherine has an older history. It was built between 1725 and 1734 around an older wooden church; a vestibule was added in 1817.

Museum and Folk Art

The Vlastivědné muzeum in Vysoké nad Jizerou was founded in 1930. It houses the restored moving nativity scene by Jan Metelka Kovárenský from Sklenařice. The work was created between 1878 and 1914 and is considered an outstanding example of folk art. This means that, in addition to its theatre history, the town offers a specific introduction to regional craftsmanship and rural culture.

A Trail for Walks with Children

The approximately 3 km-long Skijácká stezka leads along paved and forest paths. It is suitable for pedestrians and cyclists, and especially for parents with children and pushchairs. Three play elements with marble runs teach children about the cycle of life in nature in a playful way. This makes it possible to combine a short outing with exercise and a themed discovery, without the trail consisting solely of one attraction.

Winter Sports and Skiing History

Vysoké nad Jizerou is also connected with the history of ski jumping: the first ski-jumping competitions took place here in 1905, and several ski jumps were built later, including in Šachty. The Šachty ski area is located on the edge of Vysoké nad Jizerou and has a 900 m-long anchor lift, four children’s lifts and a ski park for beginners on Petruškovy vrchy. There are several circuits for cross-country skiing; detailed race courses are listed with lengths of 1 to 3 km.

Park, Panorama and Local Events

The Městské sady (Poets’ Park) are located behind Divadlo Krakonoš. They include a pavilion with a relief map of the Czech and Polish sides of the Krkonoše Mountains. The Městské sady also offer a panorama of the Krkonoše Mountains with the dominant peak of Kotel (Kokrháč). At the traditional pilgrimage event Vysocká pouť, the main programme takes place on náměstí Dr. Karla Kramáře, while the accompanying programme takes place at Divadlo Krakonoš.

A Regional Distinctive Feature

Vysocké zelí is also part of the local identity. The name is connected with the pre-cultivation of cabbage seedlings known as hlavatka, which was carried out in Vysoké nad Jizerou for more than 100 years. For further research, you can also consider Morcinov, Záhoří U Semil, Benecko, Podmoklice, Karlovice, Dolni Stepanice, Bukovina U Turnova and Loukov Nad Jizerou.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Semily.