Jestřebí

The ruins of the once-mighty Jestřebí Castle stand on a high sandstone rock near Lake Mácha. Built by Jindřich Berka of Dubá in the 13th century, it is one of the oldest castles in the Česká Lípa region, founded by the early generations of the Ronov family.

Today, only a few modest remains are left of this once imposing rock castle. Barely a quarter of its original structure has survived.

The castle was built on two stepped sandstone platforms. The upper rock block, with the remains of the tower and palace, is not accessible. Only the lower part of the castle can be visited, reached by a steep spiral staircase that passes through the former castle well.

Little can now be made out of the remains of the other buildings and spaces cut out from the rock. In addition to weathering, human activity played a major role in the castle's decline. In the 18th century, the rock on which the castle stood was quarried for building stone, causing unstable sections of rock to break away a number of times. The castle is freely accessible.