A Bohemian rhapsody

As the setting sun glimmers on the baroque cathedral at the Old Town Square at Jicin, a local guide dressed as a Medieval Duke comes forward with a flourish. He regales the tourists with the heroic tales of the Duke Albrecht of Wallenstein and how the Duke had rebuilt Jicin after taking over the 12th century town in 1623.

First mentioned in the founding charter of the Strahov Monastery, the town on the border of North and East Bohemia in the Czech Republic, is as old as 8,000 years, and is a protected monument reserve today preserving its many architectural wonders.

Duke Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein (1583-1634) was a military leader, politician, and financier whose impact on Jicin and the Habsburg Empire remains a topic of debate and literary inspiration.

As the ‘generalissimo’ of the Imperial army during the Thirty Years’ War, he led multiple victories and his dominion was elevated to a duchy, becoming a state within a state with Jicin as its capital.

The mark of an ancient capital is replete across the quaint town of Jicin. Visitors stand to be charmed by the picturesque town square—Valdstejn Castle—and the iconic Valdstejn Loggia.

This Baroque landscape composition features a courtyard with a park, gazebo, and sala terrena (a hall on the ground floor), serving as a venue for the duke’s guests to enjoy entertainment, hunting, and relaxation in the past. Today, one can enjoy the symmetry of the lindens, the wildflowers growing carelessly on the green carpet leading out of the town as a park or a picnic spot.

Jicin’s modern relevance remains in its nickname—‘Gateway to the Bohemian Paradise’—likely popularized by artists, writers, and poets of the Romantic era, who were inspired by the region’s idyllic scenery and began referring to it as a paradise.

Exploring the UNESCO Geopark here unveils a journey through a landscape of captivating rock formations, lush forests, and historical landmarks. The scenic beauty of Czechia’s oldest protected natural landscape (since 1955) is breathtaking with patchwork agri fields of yellow linseed flowers, labyrinthine rock cities and a refreshing view of the gorgeous European countryside.

Hikers and nature enthusiasts can traverse well-marked trails, discovering medieval castles, tranquil ponds, and panoramic vistas along the way.

The region has long captivated painters, writers, artists, and dreamers with its surrealism as seen in the works of Josef Mánes and Antonín Chittussi. Karel Hynek Mácha, a prominent Romantic poet, drew inspiration from the scenery for his poem Mácha’s May. The delicious dose of history with natural wonders makes a visit to Bohemian Paradise a true delight, for an East European sojourn.