starahutnicesta-en

The old glass road

In the past glassmaking required a lot of wood for fuel. That’s why the first glassworks were always built in the forest. In 1774–1775 the Riedels, a family of glassmakers, built the mountain settlement Kristiánov, where several houses belonging to the workers stood near the glassworks.

The only structure still standing from the glassmaking settlement of Kristiánov is called the Fox’s hut (Liščí bouda). It was most likely built in the first half of the 18th century and operated as a tavern for the glassmakers.

The old glass road passed by an inn called “Tönnel”, later known as the Jablonecká chata.

A forest workers’ cabin stood by the Blatný creek, accessible by a wooden bridge.

The road where you are standing connected the glassmakers to the outside world. Horse-drawn carts supplied the settlement with raw materials, food and other necessities. Delicate glass products then made their way back down the stone road. After more than a hundred years of operation, the glassworks burned down in 1887 and the settlement was slowly abandoned. Today just one original house remains to remind us of the glassmaking history at Kristiánov.

Kristiánov in the early 20th century. In the foreground are
the foundations of the burnt-out glassworks, with the Panský dům, once the master glassmaker’s house, in the center. It burned down in 1938.

A unique rock bridge stood beyond the mentioned wooden bridge. It now lies below the water’s surface.

An exhibit called “The Glassmaking Settlement of Kristiánov” is open in the house in the summer months. Although part of the old glass road is now underwater due to the Josefův Důl dam, you can still visit Kristiánov using the parts of the road still above water. The road now leads along the levee and offers a beautiful view over the quiet mountain lake as well as Josefův Důl in the valley.

Text: Otokar Simm

Images: Jan Zeman, Miloslav Nevrlý, Petr Kurtin

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