Journey to the Heart of Glass, Crystal Valley, Czechia
There are few places where an ancient craft feels quite so alive as in the Crystal Valley in northern Czechia. Here, among the wooded hills of the Lusatian Mountains, glass has shaped the landscape. Chimneys rise above small towns, family workshops preserve traditional techniques, and designers are finding extraordinary new ways to transform one of the most fragile materials into objects of dazzling beauty.
Known in Czech as Křišťálové údolí, Crystal Valley is not a single attraction but a region-wide network of glassworks, studios, museums and jewellery makers. Its heritage stretches back centuries when Bohemian crystal became internationally prized for its clarity, brilliance and suitability for cutting and engraving. Today, that legacy continues.
The glassmaking towns of northern Bohemia are best explored over two or three days, using Nový Bor or the surrounding countryside as a base. That way you can visit several workshops and watch molten glass emerge from the furnace. You can also meet the people who shape it and discover how the same material can become a drinking glass, a chandelier, a monumental sculpture or an architectural installation.
Glassworks
At Jílek Glassworks, the story begins with heat. In Kamenický Šenov, the company has been producing glass for more than 120 years. This is working industrial heritage rather than a reconstruction for tourists: the furnaces, tools and skilled hands are all part of a continuing manufacturing tradition.
Inside, glassmakers work with glowing masses of molten glass, gathering material on the end of a blowpipe before rolling, turning and shaping it. A visit to the production floor is like stepping back in time, surrounding by fire and smoke. Guided visits allow you to try glass blowing for yourself and there’s a company shop for those tempted by the finished products.
Jílek is particularly associated with coloured glass and optical decoration, demonstrating that the appeal of Bohemian glass is not confined to transparent crystal. Colour, texture and the way light travels through the finished object are integral to the craft.
Glass Museum
Nový Bor thinks of itself as the glass capital of the world with around 100 companies located here. At its centre stands the Sklářské museum with the permanent exhibition covering two floors and a collection comprising over 10,000 pieces. Rather than simply arranging objects chronologically, it’s organised around the techniques used to decorate and transform glass.
Although the historical collection is a major attraction, this is not simply a museum of past glories. Nový Bor remains an important centre for contemporary glassmaking and the museum continues to collect work by living artists and students from the local glass school.
Novotný Glass
In the same town, Novotný Glass provides an especially engaging way to understand how the craft has evolved. Founded by glassmaker Petr Novotný who started by reproducing historic glass, it’s now a specialist producer of replicas and original work with 12 glass blowers. In the factory, you can watch them work and gain a sense of the physical effort behind the finished pieces.
Upstairs, its museum and gallery bring together more than 300 works, including a major collection of glass by Bořek Šípek, the celebrated Czech architect and designer. Here, glass can be sculptural, playful, architectural or deliberately eccentric. And don’t miss their Huť restaurant, where a glass wall allows you to watch production as you tuck into local delicacies.
Pačinek Glass
If Novotný offers a glimpse of glassmaking history, Pačinek Glass takes you into a different world. Created by master glassmaker Jiří Pačinek, the complex combines a working glassworks, an art gallery, a remarkable outdoor sculpture garden and a church transformed into a celebration of glass.
The glassworks is the place to start. Watch artisans gather molten glass from the furnace and manipulate it into extraordinary shapes. Pačinek is known for sculptural works inspired by nature, including flowers, birds and animals. Then comes the Glass Garden, where colourful glass plants and monumental sculptures stand among living greenery.
Nearby, the 19th-century Neoclassical Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross has been repurposed as the Crystal Temple, Its historic architecture provides a striking contrast with Pačinek’s contemporary creations. His glass sculptures, installations and lighting transform the interior into a contemplative space where the material takes on an almost spiritual quality
LASVIT
LASVIT specialises in architectural glass, lighting installations and decorative objects, working with designers and architects on projects around the world. Its creations can transform a hotel lobby into a luminous landscape or turn a staircase into a sculptural centrepiece. Centuries of glassmaking knowledge are being used to create something entirely contemporary.
At their headquarters, in Nový Bor, they’ve restored two 19th century timbered houses and combined them with another two similarly sized and shaped abstract structures – the striking Glass House and the contrasting Black House. One appears composed entirely out of translucent glass, while the second is covered with black metal plates, to resemble the traditional slate roofs of the region.
Kolektiv Ateliers
Kolektiv Ateliers is a collective which draws on the region’s long-established craft traditions while embracing contemporary design and technology. It brings together specialists in glass cutting, engraving, painting, fusing and stained glass under one roof. Its work ranges from individual artistic objects to demanding architectural projects, including restoration work on historic buildings.
In the cutting workshop, for example, blocks of optical glass are shaped into three-dimensional forms. Elsewhere, painted glass can incorporate pigments and precious-metal finishes, creating effects that survive firing and become part of the surface itself. Visits need to be arranged in advance, but are rewarding for anyone interested in design, architecture or the technical side of glassmaking.
Prague
After travelling through the workshops of northern Bohemia, it is worth completing the journey in Prague, where PRAGL – Prague Glass Experience brings the craft into the historic city centre. Just a short walk from Old Town Square, it offers an accessible introduction to glassmaking for visitors.
Inside, a working glassworks operates alongside a collection of sculptures by Czech and international artists. You can watch experienced glassmakers shaping molten glass into glasses, statuettes and other objects, then take the plunge yourself under their guidance. Blowing glass is harder than it looks and other activities include working with a torch and sandblasting.
At nearby ARTĚL, the Czech crystal engraving is something you can try for yourself. The master engraver works directly on the finished surface, using precision and a steady hand to create lines, patterns and intricate details. After a demonstration of the technique you get to engrave your own glass to take home as a souvenir. You’re also rewarded with champagne served in ARTĚL crystal plus canapés and handmade chocolates.
Factfile
GO: EasyJet flies direct to Prague from London Gatwick.
The Gatwick Express is the only non-stop service from London to Gatwick Airport, departing every half hour from London Victoria taking just 31 minutes. Eligible standard-class tickets come with discounted fast-track security and premium airport lounge access.
INFO: Crystal Valley has information about the region.
Visit Czechia has information about the country.
PRAGL – Prague Glass Experience
ARTĚL – glass engraving experience.
STAY: The ANTIK hotel makes a comfortable base in Prague’s old town.
Hotel KLEIS, in the Crystal Valley, is part of the Cvikov brewery so has excellent beer and food.
EAT: Mlýnec restaurant in the riverside in Prague serves inventive Czech food.
The Green House in Prague’s Fairmont Hotel has Czech cuisine with a modern twist.
Ještěd offers fine dining in a 1960’s futurist tower.
Na Stráži, in the heart of the Crystal Valley, serve authentic Bohemian dishes.
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