Obora Vřísek, Game reserve in Zahrádky, Czech Republic.
Obora Vřísek is a game reserve that covers varied terrain with meadows, woodlands, and natural paths throughout the area. Different habitats support a range of animal species that can be observed across all seasons.
Jan of Vartenberk, holder of the Nový zámek estate, founded the reserve on Žižkův vrch; the first written record dates from 1570, when it held a hundred deer, fallow deer and other game. Albrecht of Wallenstein acquired the estate in 1623, followed by the Kaunitz family and, in 1897, the Liechtensteins. After 1945 the Liechtenstein property was nationalised, and since 1993 the reserve has been managed by Lesy České republiky, Lesní správa Česká Lípa.
The reserve is closed to the public; its grounds open only for a few hours one day a year, during the Day of Forests held by the Česká Lípa forest administration as part of the summer Zahrádky festivities. The name Vřísek refers to the reserve, while the Renaissance chateau on the plateau is called Žižkova hora, sometimes wrongly Vítkovec. A rock near the chateau is known as Mácha's viewpoint, recalling the poet Karel Hynek Mácha's visit.
The reserve and the Žižkova hora chateau are closed to the public; the whole area opens only one day a year, for a few hours during the Den lesů event held by the Lesní správa Česká Lípa around the summer Zahrádecké slavnosti. Access is on foot; the core is the Žižkův vrch ridge, about 2.5 km long, with sandstone walls and gorges.
The reserve is closed to the public all year and opens only for a few hours on one day, during the Day of Forests held by the Česká Lípa forest administration around the summer Zahrádky festivities. The rest of the time it serves as a hunting ground for the state forest enterprise.
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