The beautiful town of Jablonec (pronounced “yah-bluh-netz”) in the north of the Czech Republic is a quiet yet modern town. Its history includes glass-making and costume jewelry, and even today visitors find a wealth of architecture, museums, performing arts and sports and recreational activities. Much of the city has been rebuilt and renovated since the Velvet Revolution in 1989 that gave the Czechs back their independence from the former Soviet Union.
Located on the Nisou River in the Jizera Mountains (Jizerské Hory)
This small town dates back to the early 1300’s and today boasts a population of over 45,000. Jablonec lies in the north of the Czech Republic near the larger town of Liberec. It was established right on the Nisa River in the Jizera Mountains (Jizerské Hory).
Glass-making, Bohemian Crystal and Costume Jewelry
Because the area was a former seabed that provided a rich source of sand and because of the abundance of timber for fires in the nearby Jizera Mountains, inhabitants developed glass-making techniques as early as the 16th Century. In addition, its proximity to the Nisa River made transportation of raw materials and manufactured goods easy.
By the 18th Century Jablonec began producing glass costume jewelry and exporting it on a global scale, especially to America. Because of this trade immense wealth poured into the area and the town earned its official status from Austrian Emperor Franz Josef in 1866. Unfortunately the costume jewelry trade came to an abrupt halt during the Great Depression when world markets fell away.
Gothic, Baroque, Neo-Renaissance and Art Nouveau Architecture
The huge amount of money inundating the area from the costume jewelry trade yielded many cultural enhancements and beautiful architecture. For example, visitors interested in architecture should not miss the Neo-Renaissance Kostelni Church, the late Baroque Belvedere Art Gallery, the pseudo-Gothic Dr. Farsky Church, the Baroque St. Ann’s Catholic Church, the Art Nouveau Town Theater, or the Art Nouveau Museum of Glassmaking and Costume Jewellry. The Old Town Hall with its signature square tower is also a gem, opened in 1869. Fortunately the ravages of war have left most of these beautiful structures unharmed. Jablonec has preserved them well.
The official Jablonec web site provides a good self-guided walking tour of the town that gets tourists oriented.
Recent restoration of the Art Nouveau building that houses the Town Theater have made going to the theater here a joy. In addition to the refurbished surroundings, the theater hosts popular Czech singers, plays by international playwrights such as Goethe, and various other entertainment. Most of the programs are mostly in the Czech language.
The Museum of Glassmaking and Costume Jewellery is a must-see, providing much of the area’s history. The Belvedere Art Gallery resides in one of the oldest buildings in town. The Eurocentre Museum and Exhibition Hall, has been recently rebuilt and is the center of Jablonec cultural activities, conferences and expositions.
Jablonec boasts two sports fields, three reservoirs for summer swimming, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, an indoor swimming pool and an ice-skating rink. In winter skiers can avail themselves of the nearby Brízky and Bedrichov cross-country skiing areas and a downhill slope at Dobrá Voda. Two horseback riding schools are located at Rýnovice and the natural splendor of the Jizera Mountains are only 20 minutes away for hiking and mountain biking.
Getting to Jablonec from Prague
Jablonec is located 80 km (about 50 miles) from Prague. Drivers should take Route 10/E65 highway out of Prague toward Szczecin/Liberec/Mladá Boleslav. Exit to Route 35/E442 toward Liberec/Jablonec nad Nisou then take exit 33 to Route 65 toward Jablonec. Some of these are toll roads. Czech road signage can be sketchy, so make sure to have a good map and a good idea of where you are going.
Alternatively, take a comfortable one-hour bus from Prague’s Cerny Most metro station to Liberec and catch Tram #11 to Jablonec for the remaining 12 km (7.5 miles).
The private car service Prague Airport Transfers offers door-to-door service to Jablonec from the Prague airport.
Additional References:
City of Jablonec nad Nisou
Mírové námìstí 19
467 51 Jablonec nad Nisou, CZ
mujablonec@mestojablonec.cz
Official Jablonec nad Nisou Web Site
Karren Tolliver - Karren Doll Tolliver is from the Midwest USA and received a BA in English from Mississippi University for Women in 1984. Writing since she ...
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