Cvikov: Apartments and Holiday Homes

Cvikov combines protected landscapes, unusual rock formations, historic ecclesiastical buildings, and a distinctive brewing tradition. Among ponds, viewpoints, and themed trails, nature observation meets cultural history and seasonal activities.

Nature and Landscape

The Dutý kámen natural monument protects a sandstone ridge with rock formations created by erosion or human activity. Notable geological phenomena include the transformation of Upper Cretaceous sandstone at its contact with a basic tertiary effusive rock, manifested in the sandstone’s columnar and slab-like jointing. The area lies in the cadastral territories of Drnovec and the adjacent Kunratice u Cvikova; it was designated in 1963 and covers 6.63 ha.

Part of the Cvikov area belongs to the Lužické hory Protected Landscape Area. This includes part of the Cvikov cadastral territory and the entire cadastral territories of Trávník u Cvikova and Naděje. The protected area was designated in 1976. The Naděje natural monument is a fissure cave with pseudokarst features in a scree field on the northern slope of Suchý vrch, near the Naděje reservoir. It was designated in 1966 and covers 0.75 ha.

The landscape also includes several ponds, including Cvikovský, Třeťák, and Veselák, which are used for fish farming and recreation. The Schillerova vyhlídka rock viewpoint has survived to this day, although it is partly overgrown with trees. From there, the view extends over the surroundings of Mařenice and to the peaks of Luže, Hvozd, and Jezevčí vrch.

Culture and History

The Church of Saint Elisabeth of Hungary is a protected cultural monument (ÚSKP 44721/5-4522). Its original Gothic structure was converted into a three-nave church in 1553–1558 by the Italian architect Benedikt Ferrvi. Its present appearance reflects the Baroque reconstruction of 1726–1728, based on a design by the Prague builder Václav Špaček. It has been protected as a monument since 3 May 1958.

The Křížová cesta–Kalvárie complex on Křížový vrch, also called Kalvárie, is a protected cultural monument (ÚSKP 18501/5-4524) whose history dates back to 1730. The originally wooden Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre was replaced by a stone structure in 1847; in 1830, the complex was expanded with the Calvary group above the chapel. The Stations of the Cross date from the end of the 19th century. Křížový vrch has a rocky basalt summit where the first religious sculptures of the Stations of the Cross were installed in 1729.

The Marian column in Cvikov was erected in 1697 and moved in 1995 from its original location near the town mill on Mlýnská Street to the church. It was probably created by the Zittau sculptor Johann Christian Ulrich.

Landmarks and Structures

The Lesní divadlo was built in 1920 by an amateur theater group from Cvikov in a quarry at the foot of Zelený vrch; its stage even featured two wooden houses. Among the surviving remains are a room carved into the rock with a window, a short passage with a niche in the opposite wall, and remnants of the auditorium on the low slope of the quarry.

The Skalní kaple Panny Marie stands at the edge of the forest and features a pointed-arch vault and distinctive relief decoration inside. The Niessnerova vila was the family residence of textile factory owner Josef Niessner. The building was constructed in the historicist Alpine style and has an original Art Nouveau interior that has been preserved. In 2017, proceedings began to declare it a national cultural monument.

Trails and Seasonal Activities

Cvikov offers a red walking trail leading to the town’s monuments, as well as a green hiking trail that takes visitors past the area’s most important rock viewpoints, rock cities, and rock reliefs. Visitors can find their way using maps on tourist information boards; QR codes provide access to digital information on the town or cultural website, while printed materials are available at the information center.

Cvikovsko and its immediate surroundings are used for hiking and cycling in summer; in winter, they offer suitable conditions for cross-country skiing and downhill skiing. During the summer holidays, the Horský expres offers a full-day excursion from Cvikov to the German towns of Jonsdorf and Oybin.

Brewery and Local Tradition

The Pivovar Cvikov craft brewery at the foot of the Lužické hory is credited with a brewing tradition dating back to 1560. The brewery closed in 1968 and resumed operations in 2014 after extensive reconstruction. At Pivovar Cvikov, traditional bottom-fermented beers mature in original stone cellars, including the pale Klíč lager with 12% malt extract, as well as Luž with 10% and Sklář with 8% malt extract.

A guided tour of the brewery lasts approximately 40 minutes. It covers the entire beer-making process, from the basic ingredients to the finished product, provides information about the brewery’s history and present, and includes a tasting of the beer brewed there. Pivovar Cvikov offers brewery tours for groups of at least 10 people: on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m., and outside these times by prior arrangement. The appointment must be arranged and booked in advance.

For further regional discoveries: Kamenický Šenov, Kvítkov, Böhmisch Leipa, Hamr Na Jezeře, Radeč, Svor, Beškov and Chlum U Dubé.

For the higher-level travel overview: Česká Lípa District.