The being the fourth national park (i.e. a specific natural area with unique flora and fauna, almost untouched by human activity) in the country, was declared at the beginning of 2000. It covers an area of almost 79 km? and neighbours the Saxon Switzerland National Park situated on the German side of the border. It is a part of the larger territory of the Elbe Sandstones, which has been called Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland for nearly two centuries. The story of this area begins millions of years ago, when there was a shallow sea where there is now Bohemian Switzerland. It was the sea2s sand bed that gave birth to the phenomenal world of sandstone after the sea receded. It is a world of rock towers, bridges and gates, a world full of miraculous stone shapes resembling honeycombs or hourglass.However, the rocky realm is not an empire of dead stone; it hosts the rarest animals and most remarkable plants. The landscape is also characterised by high volcanic hills dominated by the hill of Růžovský vrch with its precious flora (nine-leaved coral-wort, hard shield fern) and virgin forest habitats. The visitors typically make their way to the famous Pravčice Gate (Pravčická brána), the largest sandstone rock arch in Europe, or they get on a boat to go down the Mariaś rock (Mariina skála) nearJetřichovice, robbers2 fortresses, such as Šaunštejn nearVysoká Lípa, or while walking through the romantic Kyjov Valley (Kyjovské údolí).
 

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FROM THE CESKE SVYCARSKO NATIONAL PARK TO PRAGUE