Through the Mining History of Měděnec

Our tour around Měděnec today covers a total of 12.2 km, but you can easily split it into two shorter trips and fully absorb this modest place full of stunning views. However, there are no steep ascents waiting for you on the route, at most a strong headwind. But let's rather set off on today's journey...

We start in the village of Měděnec, a village in the Ústí nad Labem Region, which stands on the ridge of the Ore Mountains at an altitude of 845 meters. The origin of the settlement, which was called Mědník (like one of the current landmarks), was like most others in our mountains, connected with mining activities. Silver-bearing copper ores have likely played a key role here since the 10th century. How it looked like during mining back then can be explored in the Panny Marie Pomocné mine, which is accessible from May to October, so we will leave it for the next time. We would also like to add that the local population did not live solely from mining; agriculture also played a significant role, and later textile production, including lace making. 

For now, we leave Měděnec behind and head to the Mědník Hill, where the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary stands at 910 meters above sea level. You might recognize its appearance from the famous TV series about Major Zeman, where it appears in the opening credits. The chapel was supposedly built by Duke J. F. of Saxony-Lauenburg as a token of thanks to a local charcoal burner who rescued him and his entourage when they got lost in the local forests. There are other versions, but regardless of which is true, he managed to choose a splendid spot offering a 360° view of all the surrounding landmarks such as Velký Špičák, the Přísečnice reservoir, Jelení hora, the wind farm, the ridges of the Doupov Mountains, the Meluzína Mountains, Klínovec, and Fichtelberg, as well as the industrial Podkrušnohorská basin, the Nechranice dam, the Ohře valley, Perštejn, Klášterec, and Kadaň.

Having enjoyed the views, we can continue. We set off on the Stezka Českem trail along the blue marker towards the tracks, turned right after crossing them, and followed a forest path that cannot be mapped since a small bridge leading about 50 m to the right across the Přísečnice creek is not marked here. But if you follow the yellow trail, you won't miss anything either. Our next steps are accompanied by the flow of the creek, which flows into the reservoir of the same name. We won't go that far, though; we cross the flow and head towards the wind turbines. Before you climb up to them, you'll be treated to views of beautifully built solitary conifers and dense forests, over which all three Špičáky proudly rise (we also wrote about them in Tips for Trips).

The wind turbines were built here for a reason; expect decent wind (with a bit of luck) at your back on the plain. We then descend onto the road, which is also the red Stezka Českem trail and a cycle path, towards the site of the abandoned village of Dolina. Here, we encounter crosses from the former village as well as a monument to the victims of World War I, and from a distance, the yellow building on the hill catches our eye. It's the chapel of St. Anne in the hamlet of Kotlina, whose construction was initiated and financially supported by local citizens. The construction was halted after the outbreak of World War I, and the chapel only gained its current form in 2014.

We are now approaching back to Měděnec. The red trail leads from the tracks to the village, or there's a cycle path along the road, but we are not ready to return yet, so we choose the blue trail towards the Alšovka ski area. From here, an educational trail called "Cesta z města" (Path from the City) leads nicely through the forest to the Sfingy natural monument. These are 15-meter high rock formations, next to which another rock with a wooden cross stands. Whether you sit under the cross or on the head of the Sphinx, if you're lucky to have sun like us, you'll be offered another beautiful view of all the wonders around. With tea and a snack, the world suddenly seems... greener!

If you haven't packed a snack, don't worry, there are two restaurants in Měděnec, just check their opening hours in advance as they do not serve food all week. And we are now reaching the end of today's journey. But we'll make a brief stop at the square under the majestic baroque Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which houses a gothic statue of the Madonna from the 15th century. In its immediate vicinity, we find another three monuments, but what caught our attention is the "Růžová zahrádka" bench, which is intended to remind us of the now extinct valley near Měděnec where residents made perfume from white and red roses. We were delighted to read on the commemorative plaque that the creation of this gem was initiated by our dear benevolent friend Klaus Franke (you can listen to his story about the now extinct Ryžovna HERE).

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