TRIP TO MOUNT ŘÍP

Říp! Every Czech knows the name of this mountain, right? And if not, they should fix it right away. A devout Muslim who is able to do so is obliged to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Even though I am not a big fan of this religion, I think that every good Czech, if they are able, should make a short trip to Mount Říp once in their lifetime.

VÝLET NA HORU ŘÍP

The forefather of Czechs climbed Mount Říp at the beginning of the history of the Bohemian Lands.

“Let’s go under this mountain, let’s rest…”

He subsequently settled here with his tribe near Mount Říp, and the region still bears his name today. When I was little, my friends and I always joked that it was a great pity that the forefather Čech stopped right here and didn’t move his tribe a little further to the sea. 🙂

📍A BIT OF HISTORY

The first mentions of Říp are already in the Kosma Chronicle from the beginning of the 12th century. The forefather of the Czechs appears under the Latin name Boemus. It was Kosmas who wrote that he decided to settle here with his tribe. Dalimil’s Chronicle states that he had to leave his land because he committed murder. And in Hájek’s Chronicle you can read that he was buried at the foot of Říp. And what does the word Říp actually mean? The word “Říp” is said to have meant “mountain” in the language of the pre-Slavic inhabitants. Since the mid-19th century, Říp has often been the scene of people’s camps and national manifestations. From here, one of the foundation stones of the National Theatre was ceremoniously brought to Prague. This memorable mountain has become an inspiration for many artists. Thanks to its beauty, poets such as Jan Neruda and Svatopluk Čech created some of their works. Its beauty was also praised in their works by painters Josef Mánes, Mikoláš Aleš, and Max Švabinský.

📍MAGICAL PLACE

Říp can be perceived as a magical place. It is a lonely mountain that rises to a height of 459 meters above sea level. It contains lodestone, which gives it certain physical properties. The compass needle points differently with every step. Mobile phones and transmitters often do not work well here. This happened to me when I wanted to call my parents to tell them where I was. Říp peak has always been a dominant for the wide area and the geological conditions in the place have ensured strong radiation from the Earth’s interior to the wide area since ancient times. Try to touch the wall of the rotunda with both hands and you may feel subtle vibrations. 🙂

📍A TRIP TO MOUNT RÍP WILL WORK OUT NOT ONLY YOUR LEGS, BUT ALSO YOUR LUNGS

I am setting out on this trip from nearby Roudnice nad Labem. It is such a nice walk. If you decide to go on it, you can do so along three marked trails. You will also return by the same route. I am setting out along the blue tourist trail, which is the least demanding. The hill can be seen from afar. First, you will pass the parking lot, which is about a 2 km walk from the top.

At the end of the asphalt road there is a signpost and a few benches. Anyone who gets tired of this part of the route can rest here. However, I continue because it seems premature to me.

The second part of the route is really uphill, because it is quite steep on all sides. Keep this in mind especially in winter, because it is quite slippery. But even in such weather I meet women with strollers or people on crutches.

📍MĚLNÍK VIEW

On the way, you will climb to another rest area called Mělník view. You can take a short break here. There is a logically nice view of the town of Mělník and its surroundings. In the foreground you can see the villages of Krabčice, Rovné, Libkovice, Kostomlaty and Horní Počáply, which you can recognize by the large power plant. To the right of the power plant, on the horizon is the town of Mělník. Říp used to be forestless, but today almost the entire mountain is covered by an oak-hornbeam forest. Other tree species include maple, pine, ash and linden. So don’t be disappointed if you climb to the top and there is no lookout. 🙂

📍ROMANESQUE ROTUNDA OF SAINT GEORGE AND SAINT AVATAR

The rotunda was built by Prince Soběslav in 1126, when he defeated the German monarch Lothar at Chlumec. Prince Soběslav I had the existing church repaired and expanded. Of course, the rotunda had to undergo many reconstructions during its long life. It was not the first sanctuary on Říp; according to historians, it was a continuation of a much older building. The rotunda has a slender cylindrical tower. Two bells hang in the tower, one by the Litoměřice master Tomáš cast in 1509, the other of almost the same size according to an inscription from 1491. At first, the rotunda was dedicated only to Saint Adalbert, and only in the 16th century was it also entrusted to the protection of Saint George. On the occasion of his feast day, a traditional pilgrimage is held in April near Říp, which has been preserved to this day. The pilgrimage is always held on April 24th.

📍MOUNT ŘÍP

Next to the rotunda, you will also find the Říp tourist hut, opened in 1907. On the wall of the hut is a patriotic inscription: “What Mecca is to Mohammed, Říp is to the Czechs!”