Zkamenělý zámek, the Petrified Castle, is a forgotten rock castle ruin perched on a sandstone ridge about one kilometre east of Konrádov. It's a place for those who love uncovering hidden history carved directly into stone rather than crowded viewpoints.

The castle once stood on two sandstone blocks joined by a wooden footbridge, and the narrow rocky ridge it sits on - once an old cart track - now marks the boundary between the Central Bohemian and Liberec regions. The surrounding forest is quiet and rarely visited, giving the site an atmosphere of mystery, especially in autumn and winter when mist settles over the sandstone rocks. It's an ideal spot for a peaceful walk away from the crowds, where imagination fills in the gaps left by missing historical records.

How to get there

• From Konrádov - roughly 1 km east through forest terrain, easy to moderate difficulty
• Can be combined with a visit to the nearby Houska Castle

Practical information

• The ruins lie right on the border between the Česká Lípa and Mělník districts
• A carved chamber with a partially collapsed rock vault and traces of a neck ditch remain visible on the rocks

The name Petrified Castle reflects how the ruins seem fused into the stone itself, almost as if turned to rock over the centuries. Its fate remains a mystery, known only through fragments of medieval pottery and traces of fire found among the rocks.