Bad Wurzelsdorf: Discover Railway History and the Jizera Mountains

When planning a trip, Bad Wurzelsdorf brings together three clearly distinct themes: railway history, sacred architecture and experiences in the landscapes of the Jizera Mountains. Anyone wishing to combine these focuses will find a museum and a historic railway line here, as well as lookout towers, a heritage-protected village district and a distinctive chapel.

Railway History Around Kořenov

The Tanvald–Kořenov–Harrachov cog railway is the steepest railway line in the Czech Republic. The Kořenov Railway Museum displays historic railway exhibits, photographic documentation and technical equipment related to the operation of the cog railway. It can be accessed from the platform in the right-hand part of the building of the former Kořenov railway station. Historic railcar rides also provide insights into the work of the locomotive driver and information about the Tanvald–Kořenov–Harrachov line. Visitors therefore have two different ways to experience railway history: the exhibition focuses on objects, photographs and technical equipment, while the railcar ride puts the work of the locomotive driver and the railway line at the center.

Lookout Towers and Trails in the Jizera Mountains

Štěpánka is the oldest lookout tower in the Jizera Mountains. From the center of Kořenov, pedestrians and cyclists can reach the tower via a blue trail followed by a green trail, covering a distance of approximately 2 km. From Štěpánka, the view extends across the western Krkonoše Mountains, the surroundings of the Souš Reservoir, Mount Jizera, and the valleys of the Desná and Kamenice rivers. The Maják Járy Cimrmana lookout tower is a wooden structure and is directly accessible from the Cimrmanovy doby Museum. Anyone choosing Štěpánka as an excursion destination therefore has a clearly described route sequence and a distance of approximately 2 km ahead of them. The view connects several landscape areas: the western Krkonoše Mountains, the Souš Reservoir, Mount Jizera, and the valleys of the Desná and Kamenice rivers.

Jizerka: Heritage Reserve, Museum and Activities

Jizerka, a district of Kořenov, has been a village heritage reserve since 1995. The old schoolhouse in Jizerka houses a museum about the history and natural wealth of Jizerka and the Jizera Mountains. The area offers opportunities for hiking, mountain biking and, in winter, cross-country skiing. The old schoolhouse thus connects the history of the district with the natural wealth of the Jizera Mountains. Hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing in winter represent different ways of experiencing Jizerka and its surroundings.

The Tesařovská Chapel

The Tesařovská Chapel is an octagonal Protestant prayer house dating from 1909. Its distinctive octagonal architecture makes it one of the most interesting sacred buildings in the area. The exterior is freely accessible year-round. The interior can be visited during events or by arrangement with the owner, the Ochranovský sbor při Českobratrské církvi evangelické v Turnově. This arrangement clearly distinguishes the chapel’s exterior from an interior visit.

More Locality Pages for Your Research

For further research into the area, you can open the pages on Polubný and Rejdice. Other localities at the same level are Pintschei, Koberwald, Lischnei, Großhammer, Marschowitz and Kleinskal.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Jablonec Nad Nisou.