Hrádek nad Nisou lies some 20 km north-west of Liberec in the valley of the Lužická Nisa river (Lausitzer Neisse) which opens into the lowlands around Zittau. The town lies where three state border lines meet -German, Polish and Czech-at an altitude of 260 m. The place had already been inhabited by tribes of Slavonic origin back at the dawn of human history. Since the l3th century, Hrádek nad Nisou had been part of the Grabštejn Demesne and the title passed between several noble families-the Lords of Donín, the Mehls of Střelice, Černousy and Trautmansdorf, the Gallas and the Clam-Gallas families. It was not until 1850, that Hrádek and other municipalities of the demesne came under state administration. Hrádek's oldest piece of architecture is the Roman-Catholic St Bartholomew's Church founded by Otto of Donín in 1286. The 1733-34 reconstruction made it larger and gave it the crossformed plan. The valuable ceiling frescos created by the Prague painter W. Spitzer in 1766 were restored in 1991. In 1424, during the Hussite wars, the township was burnt to ashes. Hrádek nad Nisou used to be a station on the "northern" merchant route which issued from Prague and headed north via Zhořelec and Budyšín as far as the Baltic Sea. The town lived up again on May Day of 1991, the opening date of a tourist border crossing between Hrádek nad Nisou and the German town of Hartau. Coming over as a visitor you are recommended to see the "Lužický Přesmyk" heritage trail through Jitrava, Sloní (Bílé) Kameny, Horní sedlo, Vraní skály, Popova skála, Dolní sedlo and the . Lemberk Château at Lvová. If you happen to be a good hiker, you should make a trip to Hvozd, Horní skály and Vraní skály - a favourite mountaineers' destination. A nice walk is the trip to tlre Grabštejn castle. Water sport lovers will appreciate "Kristýna", the water area with an abundance of small huts, campgrounds for tents and trailers, restaurants and small refreshment stalls. There are eight tennis courts in the town. The tennis club organises tennis courses over the summer holidays. Comfortable accommodation and services are available in the two hotels-U Jelena, Hrádecký Dvůr-situated in the centre of the town.

Old Folks' Home

St Bartholomew's Church

The Kristýna Holiday Home

The CDH Club Restaurant

The Upper Square