Josefuv Dul lies in a bend of the Jizera River; green spaces and small patches of woodland surround the built-up area on the adjoining slopes. The history of the textile industry and the Leitenberger family also helps orient you. You can shape your stay around cultural history or the landscape and named routes.
Textile History and the Leitenberger Villa
The local textile industry began in 1763, when a manufactory was moved from Kosmonosy to Josefuv Dul. It reached its peak under the leadership of the Leitenberger family. A later turning point came in 1868: textile production ended in Kosmonosy, and all operations were moved to Josefuv Dul. These two dates mark distinct stages in the local industrial history. The settlement developed as a workers’ settlement for the former textile factory, which is now closed.
The Leitenberger Villa makes the connection between industry and its residential surroundings tangible. Its main façade faces a landscaped park, which separates the villa from the factory grounds and the workers’ settlement. The park was designed by Eduard Petzold. The villa and green space thus add the built surroundings of the family and its employees to the story of the factory.
Chateau, Park and Family Crypt
The chateau in Josefuv Dul is a prominent Neo-Renaissance building with a Baroque core. It was built after 1860, probably to a design by Ludwig Zettl. Together with the park, it served as the Leitenberger family’s preferred summer residence. The chateau park featured allegorical statues of the four seasons by Prague sculptor Tomáš Seidan. Three of the sculptures are now kept at the Loreta in Kosmonosy.
Another notable feature is the Chapel of the Holy Cross, which contains the Leitenberger family crypt. It was built in 1880 to a design by Ludwig Zettl. The Neo-Gothic chapel stands southeast of the villa on elevated ground and offers a view of the former calico factory site. The crypt is set in greenery above Josefuv Dul, beside a hiking trail. It is empty, as the family’s remains were transferred to Austria in the 1980s. The villa, chateau and chapel reveal different aspects of the Leitenberger legacy: the family residence, park design and family crypt stand alongside the history of the textile businesses.
Small Hydropower Plant and Routes
The industrial history of the small hydropower plant is also well documented: it began operating in the first half of the 1940s and later served the textile company TIBA. To this day, it is equipped with the two original vertical Kaplan turbines from 1942. The reinforced-concrete bridge over the weir to the machine houses was closed to the public around 2006 for safety reasons. If you plan to cross there, please check the current situation on site.
Two named routes include Josefův Důl in their itineraries. The “Údolím řeky Jizery k romantické zřícenině” route runs from Mladá Boleslav via Debř and Josefův Důl to Láskov, then returns to Mladá Boleslav via Debř. The Zlatá stezka Českého ráje runs for 25 km from Mladá Boleslav via Michalovice, Josefův Důl, Bakov nad Jizerou, Klokočka and Klášter Hradiště nad Jizerou to Mnichovo Hradiště. The first route description returns to Mladá Boleslav; the Zlatá stezka gives Mnichovo Hradiště as its destination and states a length of 25 km. The routes therefore offer different geographical reference points for your planning.
Sports Activities
The SK Josefův Důl sports facility offers another focus. It provides football, tennis, foot tennis, volleyball and basketball, and also has a children’s playground. This offers a different focus from the chateau, chapel and industrial history, and may factor into your decision if you want to include sports activities among your travel group’s interests.
Discover more destinations: Rokytá, Plužná, Kolomuty, Nová Telib, Dolní Slivno, Ctiměřice, Žehrov, Malé Horky.
For the broader travel overview: Okres Mladá Boleslav.
