Unlock Adventure: Exploring Statues, Castles, Lookouts, and Stones

The Mourning Cat in Karlovy Vary

In Karlovy Vary, close to the Jean De Carro Trails , you can find a remarkable sculpture of a cat that sits on a tall pillar on the slope of the Three Crosses hill, just below Na Vyhlídce Street. This artwork was commissioned by Baron August von Lützow, a prominent figure in Carlsbad’s history, and created by the Berlin sculptor August Kiss. Together, they collaborated on several other metal sculptures, such as a chamois at Jelení skok and the statue of a deer in the Richmond Sanitarium park, which were initially displayed in the garden of the Villa Lützov. The cat statue was originally facing the old Gothic town hall, located near the current Mill Colonnade. However, the Baron later instructed that the statue should turn its back on the town hall to signal to the local council members that their responsibilities were insignificant to the cat.

Cat Castle on Ostaša

The Ostaš table mountain near Police nad Metují has many fascinating rock formations. A blue marker leads you through the so-called Upper labyrinth, but if you are looking specifically for the Cat Castle, you will need to go in a different direction: to the northeastern foothills, where you will find The Sluja of the Czech Brothers. This landmark is a helpful reference point, as the green trail goes right by it, leading through the Kočičí Rocks directly to Kočičí Castle. Be careful, though—the trail isn’t very long, but it can be quite challenging due to the stone staircases. You will encounter many narrow passages along the way; while a cat could easily slip through, you might find it a bit trickier!

Kočičí hrádek near Slatiňany

If you walk south from Slatiňany Castle and stroll through the castle park, you will enter the Podhůra forest. This area has a lot to offer hikers, such as walking paths, cycling trails, singletrack routes, a lookout tower called Bára, an outdoor gym , and even a climbing wall. As you explore, you will come across a charming little structure designed like a Swiss mountain chalet, which houses the Museum of Old Cladruby Horses. Not far from here lies the picturesque Cat’s Castle, a whimsical playground made by Princess Auersperg for her children.

Stone cat near Litoměřice

You can find a rock formation known as Cat near the road linking Litoměřice and Žitenice. A blue hiking trail will guide you to the top, where you will be greeted by a stunning view. Long ago, basalt was mined here for gravel, leading to some alteration of the hill’s landscape. The peak of Sovice, which used to have a distinctively pointed conical shape, has changed over time due to mining. Although attempts were made to conserve its natural form, the remnants of the cat-shaped rock you see today are a result of blasting that occurred in 1901. It would be interesting to know if rock climbers unintentionally created this rock cat, or if they somehow aimed for this outcome…

Kočka v Brdy peak and prehistoric arthropod

Rising above the Padrts plains, about 3 km southeast of the famous Padrta Ponds, is a peak that has been called Cat for ages (standing 789 m above sea level). From the summit of Kočka, you can take in a breathtaking view of the surrounding area. Interestingly, you can actually position one foot in Central Bohemia and the other foot in the Pilsen region while standing at the top of this hill. This peak got its name from the hill Kočka and the prehistoric arthropod Kockurus grandis, as fossils of its semicircular-headed arrows have been found in the slates of the area. This ancient creature lived in freshwater environments, along with two other species named Kodymirus vagans (named after the Czech geologist Kodym) and Vladicaris subtilis (named for the discoverer Vladimír Havlíček). They roamed this part of Bohemia around 550 million years ago. The Pasec shales (named after the village of Dominical Pasec) form a layer that is 8-10 m thick, made up of very fine shales.

Cat family in Liberec

BThe Cat Family, created by the renowned Czech sculptor Martina Niubó, is located right on 5 May Street, in front of the NG Plaza building. The primary aim of the sculptor was to design a sculpture for children, drawing inspiration from the series Teletubbies and based on studies related to child psychology. She originally designed the sculpture with her son Bruno, so the artist believes these cats will bring happiness not just to kids and their parents but also to everyone living in or visiting Liberec. As you wander through the city, you will notice that street art often features cats: they appear in graffiti and in mosaics.

Four times Cat’s Stones, Rocks and Gorges

Human imagination is limitless, which is why some people refer to the location known as the Cat Rocks, while others call it the Seal, since the rock is said to resemble a cat’s head but actually resembles more of a seal. This is about the Cat’s Stones located in the Jizera Mountains near Libverda Spa, where you will find a simple ferrata climbing route.

The Cat Rock near Mikulov doesn’t resemble a cat at all; if you look for cats, whether real or stone, you will be out of luck at both Kočičí skála lookout point in the Ore Mountains and in Kočičina Gorge in the Kokořín Mine.