View of Tolštejn Castle Ruins

The Tolstejn (Tollenstein) is the best preserved castle ruin in the Lusatian Mountains.
The name of the castle is derived from the original name of the 670 m high rock (Dohlenstein).

The extensive ruins of Tolštejn Castle are located 1.5 km from Jedlová Hill in the Lužické Mountains. It stands on a bell-shaped hillock (670 m a.s.l.) in a sandstone area. Its name originated from the original German name Dohlenstein (Crow Castle). The castle was one of the strongholds of the extensive estate of the Warenberg branch of the Markvatic family in northern Bohemia. The first mentions of the castle come from the 13th century and it is known that the first owner was Vaník from Vartenberk. The demise of the castle was brought about by the Thirty Years' War, when it was set on fire and demolished. In the 19th century, romanticism brought a revival of interest in the castle, and in 1866 a restaurant was built here.The top of the rock is accessible by stairs and a bridge from the restaurant, where an entrance fee is paid. The view from the top above the castle opens to all directions. The peaks of the Lusatian Mountains, Šluknovsko and Upper Lusatia, as well as the forested area towards Krásná Lípa. From Jiřetín, it is about 500 m towards the Rozhled settlement and then only about 2 km by road to the castle. You can also combine the trip to Tolštejn with a trip to the beautiful Way of the Cross in Jiřetín pod Jedlová and then also with an ascent to the top of Jedlová, where there is a guesthouse with a restaurant and a stone lookout tower.