Pravcice Gate, Rock Formation " CZECH REPUBLIC
Pravcice Gate, the best known attraction of the Bohemian Switzerland, is situated on the Czech-Germany border (415 meters above sea level) about 20 km north from Decin. It provides a wide magnificent surrounding view. The arch is the biggest natural handstone formation in Europe. One of the most popular rock formations in Czech rock cities, located 3 km from Hřensko near the border with Germany. It has become the symbol of the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. Its dimensions (arch height of 16 m, total width of almost 27 m, and arch width of 7-8m) make it the largest standstone rock arch in Europe. The accessible rocks over Falcon’s Nest Restaurant (built in. 1881) provide magnificent views.Eastern Europe's New 7 Wonders of Nature quarter finalists can be found in 20 countries and in almost all categories. Of 261 international quarter finalists, 25 are in Eastern and East Central Europe. Votes will be taken to narrow the list down to 77 nominees until July 7, 2009 at the New 7 Wonders website. Whether or not you've voted at the officail site, you can respond with your thoughts about your favorite natural wonders in Eastern and East Central Europe by answering the question, "What are Eastern Europe's top natural wonders?
The New7Wonders Foundation, which focuses on the documentation and conservation of monuments of international importance worldwide, has started a campaign called ‘The Official New7Wonders of Nature’ in which some 260 natural sites are competing to make it to the ‘Top 77” which are separated in 7 categories such as ‘Mountains and Volcanoes’, ‘Islands’, ‘Seascapes’, and ‘Caves, rock formations, and valleys’. Only 3 candidates in each category (a total of 21) will be short-listed until finally, in 2011, the winners in each of the seven categories will be declared. Everyone has a chance to vote for their preferred natural site on the foundation’s website where a live ranking is posted and regularly updated. Interestingly, besides popular natural wonders and tourist attractions like the Galapagos Islands, the Niagara Falls, and the Great Barrier Reef, many “new” sites, tucked away in countries which until recently were generally closed to tourists, are still largely unknown and waiting to be discovered by foreign travelers. Moreover, visiting these spectacular natural sites also offers authentic cultural experiences and some remarkable historic monuments. The Belogradchik Rocks are also the site of an impressive medieval fortress, while the Lake Ohrid (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is famous for the historic towns and monasteries dotting its shores.
Only two kilometres to the east of Doksy, hidden in the woods, there is a sandstone block called Kraluv stolec (King's Seat), the highest of the rock blocks around. According to the fable, the Emperor Charles IV used to sit on it and take delight in the view of the lake. About a kilometre further to the east, there is a national preserve called Brehyne-Pecopala. It covers Brehynsky rybnik (the Brehyne Pond), one of the oldest ponds in Bohemia, founded in 1287, much sought-after especially at the time of flying soars of many kinds of water fowls. Swimming is prohibited here. The preserve also covers a sandstone wold around the hill of Pec (Oven), or Pecopala, 451 m above sea level, with gullies striated by Tertiary vulcanite. On the East shore of Machovo jezero (Macha's Lake) there is a national natural landmark, Swamp, a quaggy morass preserved on a bed of alluvial sand. It is one of the smallest areas in the world where the highest occurrence of seaweed and volatile oils may be found. To the north of Doksy the Polomene hory (Polomene Mountains) can be found with the Hradcanské stěny (Hradcany Walls), which, as a former military area, were inaccessible until recently. Mysterious gulches and bizarre rock formations can be found here, such as Skalní brána (Rocky Gate), which looks like a miniature of Pravcicka brána (Pravcice Gate), or a hollow rocky block called Pusté or Psí kostely (Deserted or Dog Churches - Hundskirche). A whole quarter of the Polomené hory to the north of Staré Splavy is taken up by a game-preserve populated with not only deer, but moufflons as well.
Pravcice Gate, the best known attraction of the Bohemian Switzerland, is situated on the Czech-Germany border (415 meters above sea level) about 20 km north from Decin. It provides a wide magnificent surrounding view. The arch is the biggest natural handstone formation in Europe. One of the most popular rock formations in Czech rock cities, located 3 km from Hřensko near the border with Germany. It has become the symbol of the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. Its dimensions (arch height of 16 m, total width of almost 27 m, and arch width of 7-8m) make it the largest standstone rock arch in Europe. The accessible rocks over Falcon’s Nest Restaurant (built in. 1881) provide magnificent views.Eastern Europe's New 7 Wonders of Nature quarter finalists can be found in 20 countries and in almost all categories. Of 261 international quarter finalists, 25 are in Eastern and East Central Europe. Votes will be taken to narrow the list down to 77 nominees until July 7, 2009 at the New 7 Wonders website. Whether or not you've voted at the officail site, you can respond with your thoughts about your favorite natural wonders in Eastern and East Central Europe by answering the question, "What are Eastern Europe's top natural wonders?
The New7Wonders Foundation, which focuses on the documentation and conservation of monuments of international importance worldwide, has started a campaign called ‘The Official New7Wonders of Nature’ in which some 260 natural sites are competing to make it to the ‘Top 77” which are separated in 7 categories such as ‘Mountains and Volcanoes’, ‘Islands’, ‘Seascapes’, and ‘Caves, rock formations, and valleys’. Only 3 candidates in each category (a total of 21) will be short-listed until finally, in 2011, the winners in each of the seven categories will be declared. Everyone has a chance to vote for their preferred natural site on the foundation’s website where a live ranking is posted and regularly updated. Interestingly, besides popular natural wonders and tourist attractions like the Galapagos Islands, the Niagara Falls, and the Great Barrier Reef, many “new” sites, tucked away in countries which until recently were generally closed to tourists, are still largely unknown and waiting to be discovered by foreign travelers. Moreover, visiting these spectacular natural sites also offers authentic cultural experiences and some remarkable historic monuments. The Belogradchik Rocks are also the site of an impressive medieval fortress, while the Lake Ohrid (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is famous for the historic towns and monasteries dotting its shores.
Only two kilometres to the east of Doksy, hidden in the woods, there is a sandstone block called Kraluv stolec (King's Seat), the highest of the rock blocks around. According to the fable, the Emperor Charles IV used to sit on it and take delight in the view of the lake. About a kilometre further to the east, there is a national preserve called Brehyne-Pecopala. It covers Brehynsky rybnik (the Brehyne Pond), one of the oldest ponds in Bohemia, founded in 1287, much sought-after especially at the time of flying soars of many kinds of water fowls. Swimming is prohibited here. The preserve also covers a sandstone wold around the hill of Pec (Oven), or Pecopala, 451 m above sea level, with gullies striated by Tertiary vulcanite. On the East shore of Machovo jezero (Macha's Lake) there is a national natural landmark, Swamp, a quaggy morass preserved on a bed of alluvial sand. It is one of the smallest areas in the world where the highest occurrence of seaweed and volatile oils may be found. To the north of Doksy the Polomene hory (Polomene Mountains) can be found with the Hradcanské stěny (Hradcany Walls), which, as a former military area, were inaccessible until recently. Mysterious gulches and bizarre rock formations can be found here, such as Skalní brána (Rocky Gate), which looks like a miniature of Pravcicka brána (Pravcice Gate), or a hollow rocky block called Pusté or Psí kostely (Deserted or Dog Churches - Hundskirche). A whole quarter of the Polomené hory to the north of Staré Splavy is taken up by a game-preserve populated with not only deer, but moufflons as well.
