Discover Hejnice: Monastery, Pilgrimage Church and Hiking Trails

Hejnice combines the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary and the Franciscan monastery associated with it with several hiking options. When planning your trip, the town’s role on a route is also worth considering: Hejnice is the starting point of one hike, lies directly on a long-distance hiking route and is the destination of other trails. This makes it possible to explore culture and hiking through specific buildings and routes with different courses.

Pilgrimage Church and Monastery History

Hejnice is home to the Baroque pilgrimage church of Navštívení Panny Marie. A large Franciscan monastery stands alongside it. The pilgrimage church has been a national cultural monument since 1 July 2018. The single-nave Baroque church was built from 1722 to 1729.

The monastery’s history dates back to an earlier time: on 12 February 1692, the Archbishop of Prague, Bedřich z Valdštejna, solemnly declared the Church of the Virgin Mary there a monastery church. At the same time, he entrusted it to the care of the friars of the Franciscan Province of St. Wenceslas. The declaration in 1692 and the construction period from 1722 to 1729 therefore represent different stages in the town’s history.

Hejnice Monastery is also a venue for concerts, exhibitions and lectures. Along with its religious and architectural history, these different cultural events shape the character of the monastery.

Hiking from, through and to Hejnice

The Via Czechia long-distance hiking route passes directly through Hejnice. VIA NISA follows a different route: the restored foot pilgrimage route is just under 200 kilometres long, divided into eight full-day stages, and ends at the pilgrimage church of Navštívení Panny Marie. Here, the church is also a named destination on a longer route.

Shorter routes and routes with a different focus are also described. A 9.3-kilometre hiking route starts in Hejnice and passes the Velký Štolpich waterfall. Another route runs for 20 kilometres from Liberec to Hejnice. The comparison shows two specific differences: the stated distance and the location of the start and destination. The first route starts in Hejnice; the second leads from Liberec to Hejnice.

The Štolpichy National Nature Reserve encompasses gorges, streams with waterfalls and ancient beech trees. These landscape features add a distinct natural aspect to the route descriptions. By comparing the specific descriptions of the trails, you can distinguish between a named waterfall along a route and the reserve’s landforms.

A hiking march in September

The local hiking options also include the tourist hiking march “Po stopách železné koruny”. Founded in 1972, it takes place every year on the second Saturday in September. Since the exact date varies from year to year, check the date for your travel year if the march is important to your plans. This recurring, set time period distinguishes the hiking march from routes described mainly by their course, distance or stages.

For getting your bearings in Hejnice, two clear highlights emerge: the pilgrimage church with its architectural and monastic history, and hikes with different distances, starting points and destinations. You can weigh up which of these aspects to focus on during your stay based on your specific travel interests.

Discover more travel destinations: Frýdlant, Radimovice, Svijany, Horení Paseky, Paceřice, Krásný Les, Bulovka, Heřmanice U Frýdlantu

For the broader travel overview: Okres Liberec.