Nové Město pod Smrkem

This town was founded by Melchior of Redern in 1584 for his miners who were mining the nearby mountain Měděnec for tin ore. The result of this period is the existence of many tunnels and shafts that now mainly serve as a winter sanctuary for bats. The oldest structure in the town is the Church of St. Catherine from 1607. Also noteworthy is the marble monument of local parson and traveler G. Mendel. Near the railroad is another small church from 1911, which is protected along with its statues. The local ethnography museum housed in the rooms of the municipal library awaits visitors with a fascinating collection from the history and nature of the Frýdlant Headland. The border crossing to Poland lies just a few kilometers from Nové Město.