Všetečkova vyhlídka

What you'll see

Standing at the railings, the eye sweeps across the central arena of the Prachov Rocks. Directly ahead rises Mnich ("The Monk"), also known as Modlitba skal ("Prayer of the Rocks")—the tallest sandstone tower in the entire complex—crowned with a small Czech flag. To the opposite side of the valley, the Vyhlídka Českého ráje clings to the cliff edge, its own visitors visible as tiny figures against the rock face. Between them, a dense forest of pinnacles, buttresses and narrow gorges stretches in every direction.↗↗↗

The panorama is not merely wide but vertically dramatic: sheer walls drop away below your feet while weathered columns rise at eye level across the gorge. On a clear day the broader landscape of the Bohemian Paradise rolls toward the horizon in layered greens and sandstone reds. A 360-degree panoramic photograph taken from this very spot captures the full sweep of the rock-city basin.↗

The story behind the name

Jakub Všetečka (1850–1931) was born in Třebíč and studied at the University of Vienna, where he became friends with a young Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk—the future first president of Czechoslovakia. But it was in Jičín, where he taught at the local grammar school from 1895 to 1916, that Všetečka poured his energy into the outdoors. He joined the Club of Czech Tourists in 1896, became its secretary, and relentlessly pushed to make the Prachov Rocks more accessible: he championed carved stairways, cleared paths, and published a trail guide to the rocks in 1922—the very year this viewpoint was inaugurated in his honour.↗

A metal plaque on the rock near the approach still records the official opening date: 28 May 1922. Všetečka retired from public life in 1927 and died in Jičín in 1931, leaving behind a trail network that thousands still walk each season.↗

Getting to the viewpoint

Všetečkova vyhlídka sits on the Plecháč plateau near the Točenice junction, a short distance from the Tourist Cottage in the centre of the rocks. It is reached only on foot, along the green-marked grand tour that loops through the heart of the rock city. The final approach involves stone steps carved into the sandstone, slightly worn smooth by more than a century of bootsoles, leading up to the railed ledge.↗↗↗

The rocks are a state natural reserve, protected since 1933, and bicycles are not permitted on the interior trails. Drive or take a bus to the parking area near the old Hotel Český ráj on the edge of the forest, or walk from Jičín—roughly an hour along the red trail through Holín.↗

Visiting tips

The viewpoint is open year-round with no entrance fee. In spring and autumn the light angles across the canyon walls in warm tones; summer mornings before the crowds arrive are magical. Watch your step on the carved rock stairs—when wet or covered with fallen leaves they can be slippery. The metal railing makes this a safe spot even with children, who will enjoy trying to identify the Mnich tower and other named rocks.↗↗

The neighbouring Šlikova vyhlídka is on the same plateau and only a couple of minutes' walk away, offering a complementary angle back toward the Císařská chodba (Emperor's Passage). Combining both gives you a fuller appreciation of the central rock arena in a short loop.↗↗

The Prachov Rocks lie roughly 7 km northwest of Jičín's centre. Jičín itself is a charming baroque town with a hilltop castle and is an easy base for exploring the Bohemian Paradise.↗

About the Prachov Rocks

Prachovské skály are a compact but extraordinarily rich sandstone rock city at the southern tip of the Bohemian Paradise. In an area barely 5 km across, water and time have sculpted a maze of deep gorges, narrow passages, free-standing towers and broad ledges. The rock system dates to the Cretaceous sea that once covered this part of Europe; uplift and erosion created the labyrinth seen today. It has been one of the most visited natural sites in the region for over a century, attracting writers, painters, climbers and families alike.↗

Dozens of named viewpoints lace the trail network, each offering a different perspective on the rock formations and the wider landscape beyond—Trosky Castle, Ještěd, Kozákov, and the foothills of the Giant Mountains all appear on clear days. Všetečkova vyhlídka is among the most accessible and visually striking of them all.↗