Horní Maxov: Routes and Local History

In Horní Maxov, several route themes and historical points of reference can be distinguished. The Stezka svobody is a circular route featuring three linden trees and twelve stations on the theme of freedom. The Maxovská křížová cesta leads from a former chapel to a spring. Another route runs over the Maxovský hřbet and through Horní Maxov toward Jablonec nad Nisou. The cemetery and church add specific aspects of local history to these routes. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider the route, theme, and historical context separately.

Routes with Different Focuses

The Stezka svobody connects three linden trees of freedom in Lučany nad Nisou, Horní Maxov, and Jindřichov. The trees were planted in 2018. The circular route is 12.7 kilometers long and marked with circular trail signs in the colors of the tricolor. Twelve stations feature glass cubes and metal bands bearing quotations on the theme of freedom. The elements therefore serve different purposes: the linden trees connect three named places, while the quotations give the stations a thematic emphasis. The route’s shape, markings, and design each provide a distinct point of reference.

The Maxovská křížová cesta begins in Horní Maxov at the former chapel. The marked trail is 0.5 kilometers long and ends at the Seibt Spring below the Slovanka lookout tower. Three information panels display historical photographs relating to the history of Horní Maxov and the creation of the Way of the Cross. Compared with the 12.7-kilometer Stezka svobody, this route is considerably shorter. Its thematic focus also differs: here, the history of the village and the creation of the route are central, while the other route features quotations on the theme of freedom. You can therefore consider both the distance and the subject matter when choosing a route.

The “Od Hrabětic do města Jablonce” route runs over the Maxovský hřbet and through Horní Maxov on the way to Jablonec nad Nisou. This route offers a different point of orientation from the other two: its description is shaped not by a circular layout or the theme of its stations, but by its course over the ridge toward Jablonec. The three routes mentioned therefore differ in their shape, theme, and direction.

Cemetery and Church: Historical Points of Reference

The Maxov cemetery was formally opened on All Souls’ Day in 1890 and was regularly used until the end of the 1940s. It is situated on a sunny south-facing slope above the center of Horní Maxov. From there, views extend across a shallow hollow with meadows, small groves, and scattered houses. Two different details therefore contribute to the local history: the period of regular use and the landscape setting above the center. This combination of chronology and landscape can be distinguished from the routes’ trail-related themes.

The Church of the Most Sacred Heart of the Lord (“Nejsvětějšího srdce Páně”) in Horní Maxov was built in 1910. Its construction falls within the period when the cemetery was in regular use, which continued until the end of the 1940s. Alongside the opening date of 1890, this provides another specific year and a second historical site in Horní Maxov.

For an overview of the wider area: Wiesenthal an der Neiße.