Klácelka, Cave entrance in Liběchov forest, Czech Republic
Klácelka is a man-made cave chiselled from a sandstone block on the left side of the Liběchovka valley, about a kilometre south of Želízy. An ornamented portal opens into a chamber with stone benches along the walls, whose surfaces carry Václav Levý's reliefs of animals from Klácel's fable Lišák Ferina, symbols of human weaknesses.
Sculptor Václav Levý created this cave during the 1840s as a tribute to František Klácel, a notable Czech theologian and thinker of that time. The project emerged when Czech national and religious ideals were seeking expression in the landscape.
The cave's name and reliefs commemorate František Klácel, whose fable Lišák Ferina supplies the animal figures on the inner walls, each standing for a human weakness. Outside, the space called Blaník carries Jan Žižka, Prokop Holý, Zdeněk Zásmucký, the sleeping army and dwarfs forging their weapons, with a chalice cut into a nearby rock.
The cave sits along a clearly marked blue hiking trail that connects the towns of Liběchov, Želízy, and Tupadly, making it easy to reach on foot. The forest path is well signposted, so visitors can navigate without difficulty.
The cave serves as a representation of Blaník Mountain, a legendary place from Czech mythology where, according to folklore, sleeping warriors await their return. This symbolic element transformed the site into an unusual artwork that embodied national myths in stone.
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