The Pravčická brána (in English also ''Pravčice Gate'', ''Pravčická Gate'' or ''Pravcicka Gate''; ) is a narrow rock formation in
Bohemian Switzerland in the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
, approx. 3 km northeast of
Hřensko. With a span of 26.5 metres, an inside height of 16 metres, 8 metre maximum width and 3 metre arch, it is the largest
natural sandstone arch in Europe, and one of the most striking nature monuments in the
Elbe Sandstone Mountains. It is protected as a
national nature monument.
History
In 1826, an inn was built by the Pravčická brána. In 1881, Prince
Edmund of Clary-Aldringen had built the Hotel Sokolí hnízdo (that time called ''Falkennest'', both meaning "falcon's nest") with 50 beds.
As a result of heavy
erosion
Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as Surface runoff, water flow or wind) that removes soil, Rock (geology), rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust#Crust, Earth's crust and then sediment transport, tran ...
by visitors, the arch has been placed out of bounds since 1982. The entire terrain has been in private ownership since the privatisation of the hotel and may be visited for an entry fee during opening times.
The Eisenach to Budapest mountain path runs by the Pravčická brána.
Film
Several landscape scenes in the film ''
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' were filmed here. Because the rock formation may no longer be climbed on, the scenes in which the actors appear to run over the arch were taken in the studio and pasted in.
See also
*
Malá Pravčická brána
References
External links
Pravčická brána - homepagesInformation about the Pravčická brána in English, with a map of the area and images
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pravcicka brana
Bohemian Switzerland
Rock formations of the Czech Republic
Natural arches
Děčín District