Reichenberg: Culture, Nature and Ještěd

Reichenberg is a destination for travellers who want to combine historic architecture, collections and nature experiences in one trip. Highlights include striking buildings and museums, as well as a historic botanical garden, the zoo and trails around Vesecký Pond. When planning your stay, it helps to choose a clear focus: architecture and culture, animal and plant life, or outdoor activities.

Buildings, Museums and Collections

The Ještěd hotel building stands 1,012 m above sea level and was awarded the prestigious Perret Prize. The hotel and the Ještěd television transmitter together form a national cultural monument. This landmark therefore combines an award for the hotel building with the shared monument status of the two structures.

During the summer season, guided tours of Liberec Town Hall may include the ceremonial hall and a climb to the tower, which offers views of the surrounding area. As this is a seasonal offer, check in advance whether a tour is available. MUZA – the North Bohemian Museum in Liberec was founded in 1873 as the first museum of applied arts in the Bohemian lands. Lázně Liberec Gallery manages a collection of more than 22,000 works of art from Czechia and other European countries.

The Harcov Reservoir also tells a story of engineering history: it is considered Europe’s first masonry dam and was built in 1902–1904 for flood protection. Alongside art and architecture, it is therefore a structure whose stated purpose was to protect against flooding.

Botanical Garden, Zoo and Exhibitions

Liberec Botanical Garden is the oldest botanical garden in Czechia. Construction began in 1893, and it opened to the public in 1895. Its aquariums feature a coral reef, as well as the fauna and flora of the great lakes of southern Africa and the Amazon Basin. The aquarium pavilions can be accessed through a glass tunnel.

Outside, the garden includes a large alpine garden with ponds and small waterfalls. Its landscaped grounds therefore sit alongside the habitats presented in the aquariums. Liberec Zoo was founded in 1904 and is the oldest zoo in Czechia. It showcases more than 170 animal species from every continent. iQlandia has a different focus: the centre offers ten themed exhibitions, a planetarium and more than 400 exhibits. The distinction between the animal species at the zoo and the themed exhibitions and planetarium can help you choose what to visit.

Waterfront Trails and Seasonal Activities

Vesecký Pond, also known as Teichmühle or Tajch, has a freely accessible beach. The Vesecké údolí educational trail runs around the pond, is about 2 km long and has seven information boards about natural features and wetlands. The beach and the trail offer different ways to experience the same pond: spending time by the water and learning about the surrounding nature.

The Ještěd area is a summer and winter sports centre and can be reached by public transport. The region extends beyond it to the Jizera Mountains: Liberec is a starting point for day trips there and, in winter, to popular ski areas with downhill runs and dozens of kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails. A stay focused on buildings and collections can therefore be balanced with seasonal sports and excursion destinations in the region.

Discover more destinations: Prosec Pod Jestedem, Dlouhý Most, Dolni Rasnice, Jindřichovice Pod Smrkem, Nová Ves U Chrastavy, Cesky Dub, Kobyly, Svetla Pod Jestedem.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Liberec.