Several cultural themes come together in Liběchov: a castle garden and park, religious buildings, and sandstone reliefs. The “Labská vinařská stezka” cycling route also runs through the town. The differences between these attractions can help you tailor your stay to your own interests: architectural history, garden art and sculpture sit alongside a cycling route that forms part of a wider network.

Castle grounds: water castle, park and garden

The castle’s original circular water castle dates from the 14th century and is largely preserved. A later building phase is associated with F. M. Kaňka, who erected a new building at Liběchov Castle between 1720 and 1730. The castle grounds include a symmetrically designed garden adorned with sculptures, as well as an English-style park with three bridges. The artistically designed watercourse of the Liběchovka is another feature.

The accessible castle garden features garden vases and a waterfall by Václav Levý, as well as Matyáš Braun’s statue of Perseus. Here, in the same garden, you can encounter works by two different sculptors. Together with the bridges and the watercourse, the sculptures create a distinct focus alongside the castle’s architectural history.

Klácelka and Harfenice: sandstone reliefs

Klácelka is both a cave and a sandstone block bearing reliefs created by Václav Levý in the 1840s. Its entrance is designed as a rectangular portal framed with ornamentation and topped by a draped arch. Inside the cave are shallow rock reliefs based on motifs from J. W. Goethe’s fable “Lišák Ferina,” using designs by French caricaturist Grandville.

The area in front of the cave is called Blaník. There, Levý created reliefs of Jan Žižka, Prokop Holý and Zdeněk Zásmucký, as well as dwarves forging weapons for the Knights of Blaník. The motifs range from literary sources and named figures to a fantastical scene. Klácelka lies directly beside a marked blue hiking trail.

Harfenice offers a different focus: the massive sandstone block is adorned with sculptures dating from 1841. These include a female figure with a harp and seven large human heads; the artificially carved cave U ještěra is also part of the site. The motifs differ noticeably: Klácelka focuses, among other things, on literary references and figures, while Harfenice brings together a harp, heads and a cave.

Churches and architectural history

The Church of sv. Havla is a single-nave Baroque building dating from 1733–1734. It was created by rebuilding an older Gothic church. It is accessible during Mass; check local Mass times before your visit.

The Chapel of sv. Ducha a sv. Hrobu is a simple octagonal building with a dome and lantern. A rectangular nave was added to its west side in 1903. The two religious buildings differ in both form and architectural development: the Gothic predecessor is part of the Baroque building’s history at sv. Havla, while at the chapel the octagonal structure stands alongside the later rectangular addition.

Cycling route through Liběchov

The “Labská vinařská stezka” cycling route runs through Liběchov and is part of the wider Labská trasa, which continues in Germany as the “Elbe Radweg.” It is also part of the international Praha–Berlín route (KČT 2), and therefore of the European EuroVelo 7 route (North Cape–Malta). When planning your trip, you can distinguish between the name of the cycling route that passes through Liběchov and its links to longer routes.

Discover more destinations: Cesky Raj, Kralupy Nad Vltavou, Tišice, Mělnické Vtelno, Chlumín, Horní Počaply, Zlončice, Dobřeň.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Mělník.