Prague attracts all the spotlight for travelers going to the Czech Republic. So much so that one might forget the cultural diversity and incredible landscapes of this country. Fortunately, filmmakers seeking grandiose landscapes, unusual and timeless places have explored it to reveal them in numerous films, including the excellent “The Chronicles of Narnia.”
Exceptional scenery for a fantastic story
The film tells the story of four children who unwittingly discover another world, Narnia. It is inhabited by strange creatures and talking animals, as well as a witch who rules the inhabitants with terror and cold. Warned by beavers of a prophecy, they join forces with Aslan the Lion in a battle against the White Witch.
To tell this fantastic story, extraordinary settings were needed to capture the imagination. Places you would not expect to find on earth. The filmmakers found them in the Czech Republic, among the countless rock towns.
Tiske Skaly, the fantastic rock labyrinth
The Czech Republic has many “rock towns”. These amazing geological formations are the result of the erosion of rocky plateaus, which over the centuries have carved narrow passages into the rock. The result is real stone labyrinths to explore. These landscapes seem straight out of a fairy tale. No wonder the director of the film ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” took inspiration from them for his sets.
In particular, he chose the walls of Tiské skaly in the north-west of the country. In winter, heavy snowfall adds fantasy to an already surprising landscape. The scene where Lucy visits the cave of the faun Tumnus was filmed here.
Tiske skaly is very easy to visit. Located in the town of Tisa, the entrance is near Anny Church. A small entrance fee (less than 2 euros) is required. You will then be provided with a map showing the different trails to discover the most impressive viewpoints and passages.
Pravčice Gate, monumental and fantastic
A little further into the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, another geological curiosity was perfect for an impressive scene: Pravčická Gate. This natural sandstone arch is the largest in Europe, measuring 26.5 metres high and 16 metres long.
In the film, the siblings, accompanied by the beavers, look out over the vast snow-covered forests of Narnia.
Other forest scenes were filmed in this National Park, which has excellent walking trails.
To explore these filming locations, head to the village of Hrensko, where the main entrance to the National Park is located. From there, there are several ways to get to Pravčice Gate. The first is to take a bus from Hrensko to the trailhead. From there it is only an hour’s walk.
The Gabrielle Trail, which starts in the village of Mezni Louka, offers a more intense experience with its 6 km hike, offering views of sandstone formations and the surrounding forest.
