Plechý / Plöckenstein, Border mountain summit between Mühlviertel and South Bohemia, Austria and Czech Republic.
Plöckenstein is a granite peak on the border between Austria and Czech Republic, rising to 1379 meters as the highest point in the Austrian Mühlviertel. Hiking trails connect the summit to lower areas, and a stone obelisk stands at the top.
The mountain was closed to visitors during the Cold War because of fortifications built along the Iron Curtain. After 1989, these barriers were removed and the border region became accessible again.
The obelisk on the summit honors writer Adalbert Stifter, whose books featured this mountain landscape. The monument connects literary memory with the experience of standing on a border between two countries.
The hike starts from the parking area at Holzschlag youth centre and follows about 14 kilometers of marked trails to the summit. The best time to visit is from May through October, when the mountain is easily accessible and trails are well maintained.
Below the summit lies Plöckensteiner Lake, a glacial lake located within the protected core zone of Bohemian Forest National Park. This small lake surrounded by rocks and mountain forest reveals the ice age past of the region.
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