Panská skála (Herrnhausfelsen) is the most famous and most visited geological reserve in the Czech Republic — a striking natural monument of vertical basalt columns near the town of Kamenický Šenov in northern Bohemia, formed by the cooling of ancient volcanic lava into perfect hexagonal organ pipes that rise from the landscape like a stone cathedral. This spectacular example of columnar jointing — the same geological phenomenon that created the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland — is one of the most photogenic natural sites in the Czech Republic and a popular film location (it appeared in the Czech fairy-tale film The Proud Princess).
Quick Facts: Panská skála
- Best time to visit: Year-round; sunrise and sunset for the most dramatic light on the basalt columns; the columns are especially atmospheric in winter with a dusting of snow
- How to get there: ~1.5 hours from Prague by car; ~15 minutes from Nový Bor (the nearest town); parking is adjacent to the site
- Entry fee: Free
- Combine with: The glassmaking towns of Kamenický Šenov and Nový Bor (the heart of the Bohemian glass industry), and the rock formations of České Švýcarsko (Bohemian Switzerland, 45 min)
Panská skála (Herrnhausfelsen) a series of polygonal basalt columns rising dramatically from the uplands located near the town of Kamenický Šenov in the north of the Czech Republic.
Panská skála is the best known and most visited geological reserves in the Czech Republic. This natural formation is known also to geologists abroad. The rock is often called the “organ” because the five and six-sided columns of up to 12 meters long look like the structure of organ pipes. Its current appearance got Panská skála by mining, which took place here until 1948. This high quality basalt was exported to the Benelux countries, where they used it to build the dam.
In 1953 Panská skála became National Natural Monument. Under the rock there is a small lake, which was created after the mining and is filled with rainwater. The summit offers a stunning view of the The Lusatian Mountains (in Czech Lužické hory) and of the National Park of Czech Switzerland (České Švýcarsko).
At the foot of the rock there is the Marian Column, which was built in 1739 in memory of two people who froze to death here.
You can find similar formations in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, named Giant’s Causeway.
View Panská skála (Herrnhausfelsen) – best known and most visited geological reserves in the Czech Republic in a larger map
Have you photographed the basalt organ pipes of Panská skála or discovered Bohemia’s geological wonders? Share your Czech rock formation discoveries in the comments! 🪨
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