Horní Jiřetín – Baroque Art, Jezeří and Cycling Routes

Horní Jiřetín Between Baroque Art and Reclaimed Landscapes

Horní Jiřetín is a destination for travelers who want to combine Baroque art, castle history and routes through a reclaimed mining landscape. The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the route to Jezeří Castle and the paths around the former ČSA open-cast mine each offer a different focus. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between culture, viewpoints, cycling and experiencing the landscape, without reducing the town to just one theme.

Church, Sculptures and Viewpoints

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary contains original and highly valuable Baroque furnishings. A visit also includes climbing to the viewing terraces on the main tower, with views across Jiřetín and the surrounding area. In the lower part of Horní Jiřetín, there are four valuable Baroque sculptures: the Calvary sculpture, the statue of Saint Lawrence, the sculptural group of Saint George and the statue of Saint John of Nepomuk. All four have been professionally restored over the past fifteen years and are protected as immovable cultural monuments. The equestrian statue of Saint George fighting a dragon is an early Baroque work from 1691 by Bernard Dörl.

Jezeří Castle and Its Architectural History

Jezeří Castle developed from a 14th-century Gothic fortress, first into a Renaissance castle and later into a Baroque château. This provides a clear historical contrast to the Baroque furnishings of the church. Jezeří Castle was opened to the public in June 1996. Anyone interested in the transformation of historic buildings will find here a development spanning several periods.

Routes with Different Foci

The Horní Jiřetín–Jezeří cycling route is seven kilometers long, mostly easy and suitable for mountain bikes and trekking bikes. There is a steeper climb at the end. The „Around the ČSA Mine“ route is accessible from Horní Jiřetín and leads through the reclaimed landscape of the former ČSA open-cast mine. It is suitable for pedestrians and cyclists and offers views of the open-cast mine, the Ore Mountains and Jezeří Castle. The route is listed as nine kilometers long; the shorter variant described is approximately eight kilometers long. The two lengths help you choose a shorter or more extensive loop and plan the outing according to your own interests.

The industrial history is also part of the character of the surrounding area: the industrial monument „Jámová budova a těžní věž C2 s oběhem vozů“ is located in Dolní Jiřetín and has been placed under protection by a decision of the Czech Ministry of Culture. This allows you to alternate between religious art, castle history, cycling routes and industrial heritage when choosing your activities.

For further destination options, you can also check Albrechtice U Mostu, as well as Bělušice, Lišnice, Český Jiřetín, Hora Svaté Kateřiny, Polerady, Loučná and Želenice.

For the broader travel overview: Most District.