Großhammer: Views and Local History

Großhammer (Velké Hamry) lies on the southeastern edge of the Jizera Mountains. The Kamenice flows through the town. The landscape, trails, industrial history and monuments give Großhammer a range of points of interest to consider when planning a trip.

Landscape and Views

The 787-meter-high Muchov has been developed as a natural viewpoint. From there, the view stretches across the Jizera Mountains, the Krkonoše Mountains, the Ještěd Ridge and the Bohemian Paradise. The distinctive rocks of Muchov are made of two-mica granite, known as Tanvald granite.

From the Kamenice Valley, you can reach the Terezínka rock viewpoint via 55 steps. From there, you can see the ridges of the Jizera Mountains. The two viewpoints therefore differ above all in their views: Muchov takes in several landscape regions, while Terezínka offers views of the Jizera Mountain ridges.

Walking Routes to Rejdice and Tanvald

A walking trail leads from Svárov through Parýz and along the valley of the Ješkrabec stream to Rejdice. There is also a walking route from Großhammer to Tanvald that avoids the heavy road traffic: it runs either via Popelnice or through the forest above the railway line via Marjánka. Conditions may change seasonally. Check the current situation on your chosen route before setting out.

Monuments and Local History

The Svárov Strike Monument commemorates the 1870 textile workers’ strike. It was erected in 1963 and is protected as a cultural monument. In Mezivodí, a life-size Pietà ensemble stands among chestnut trees opposite the factory. The monument is considered artistically and culturally valuable, has a folk-art character and is listed in the central register of immovable cultural monuments.

The Wenceslas Chapel in Velké Hamry II is one of the surviving historic monuments from the 18th century. It is a late Baroque niche chapel at the turnoff from the main road to Muchov. Older local names also tell the story of the area’s industrial past: Hamersko, Dolení Hamr and Hoření Hamr derive from ironworks that probably stood there in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Industry and Energy

Construction of the spinning mill in Mezivodí, formerly known as Liebigovy závody, began in 1907; operations started in 1908. The building retains its original appearance. In Mezivodí, industrial development and its architectural traces thus stand side by side.

The Energy Museum is located on the premises of the Miček carpentry workshop at Bohdalovice 79, Velké Hamry–Mezivodí. Exhibits include a Francis turbine with a generator from 1907, a model biogas plant, and various cutaway models of turbines and generators. Practical demonstrations of renewable energy production and educational programs for schools are also offered. If you are planning to attend a demonstration or educational program, check the current schedule in advance.

Chapels, Services and Architectural Styles

Christmas and Easter Masses are held annually in the Chapel of St. Anne. A Mass commemorating Jan Hus is celebrated on July 5, and a children’s choir also gives an annual Christmas concert there. Masses are regularly held in St. Wenceslas Church. If you are planning to attend a service or concert, check the current schedule before your trip.

Near the square stands a two-story corner house with an L-shaped floor plan and gabled roofs. Its features include a shallow, tower-like, two-story bay window on volute brackets, topped with a sheet-metal onion dome. These architectural styles add another dimension to the townscape alongside its chapels and monuments.

Discover more destinations: Friedrichswald, Daleschitz, Georgenthal, Johannesberg I. Isergebirge, Neudorf An Der Neiße, Radschitz, Zbirohy, Plaw.

Return to the main travel overview: Okres Jablonec Nad Nisou.