Jablonec nad Nisou: Glass, Town Hall and Petřín

Jablonec nad Nisou offers several clearly distinct themes for a stay: glass and bijouterie, the New Town Hall, and Petřín. For planning your visit, it helps to distinguish between these different highlights: museum exhibitions trace historical developments, the town hall combines architectural history with a seasonal tower tour, and Petřín focuses on views and hiking trails.

Glass and Bijouterie at the Museum

The State Museum of Glass and Bijouterie in Jablonec nad Nisou brings glass and bijouterie together in one museum. The exhibition “Čarovná zahrada – české sklo sedmi století” presents glass from antiquity to the present day in four sections arranged in chronological order. The timeline offers a helpful way to explore the collection: the four sections divide this long span into distinct periods, rather than presenting antiquity and the present merely as two endpoints.

The exhibition “Nekonečný příběh bižuterie” offers a different perspective. It traces the development of Jablonec bijouterie from its beginnings to the present day. The two exhibitions therefore differ not only in subject but also in perspective: one follows the history of glass across a broad span of time, while the other traces the development of bijouterie from Jablonec nad Nisou. If you compare the two themes, the museum offers both a chronological history of glass and a history of bijouterie associated with the town.

The New Town Hall: Architectural History and Tower

The New Town Hall in Jablonec nad Nisou was built between 1931 and 1933 and has been a national cultural monument since 2024. The two dates refer to different milestones: the construction years mark the building’s creation, while 2024 marks its later designation as a monument. This makes it possible to distinguish the building’s architectural history from its subsequent cultural designation.

In summer, you can climb the town hall tower on a guided tour. This seasonal opportunity to visit the tower is available only as part of a guided tour. If the tower is important to your plans, check the tour dates in advance.

Petřín: Views, History and Hiking Trail

From Petřín, you can look out over Jablonec nad Nisou, the reservoir and a large part of the Jizera Mountains. The site also has a specific building history: in 1906, Richard Fellinghauer built the excursion restaurant and lookout tower “Zur Nickelkoppe” there. The views over the town, reservoir and mountains, and the history of the named excursion restaurant give Petřín two distinct highlights.

For a hike, the trail “Za výhledy přes Petřín na Dobrou Vodu a Čertův kámen” (For the Views via Petřín to Dobrá Voda and Čertův kámen) crosses Petřín towards Dobrá Voda and Čertův kámen. This gives you a named route and its destinations to consider when planning, in addition to the views. The view from Petřín and the hiking trail appeal to different interests: one focuses on the landscape, while the other points the way towards Dobrá Voda and Čertův kámen.

Discover More Destinations

Friedrichswald, Bad Wurzelsdorf, Koberwald, Tannwald, Woleschnitz, Radschitz, Morchenstern, Reichenau

To the regional travel overview: Okres Jablonec Nad Nisou.