Child Scratches Sandstone—Fine

A family’s trip to the Prebischtor in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park in the Czech Republic ended up costing them dearly. Because their son used a sharp object to scratch the rock on one of the viewing platforms at the sandstone bridge, they had to pay a fine equivalent to about 400 euros, according to the national park administration. Another visitor had filmed the incident with his cell phone and alerted the authorities. The child apparently used a type of ruler or set square.

In this specific case, it was more of a child’s mistake than malicious intent, a spokesperson for the national park administration acknowledged in a social media post. Nevertheless, they are urging all visitors to follow the rules. Only wind, water, and time should continue to shape the history of the sandstone formations in Bohemian Switzerland.

Landmark on Private Property

The Prebischtor is the most famous landmark of the Czech Bohemian Switzerland National Park, which borders directly on Saxon Switzerland. With a span of about 26.5 meters, it is considered the largest natural sandstone rock gate in Europe. Although the Prebischtor is part of the national park, it has been located on private property since 1999. At that time, the state forestry agency sold the area to a businessman. An admission fee of currently five euros per adult must be paid to enter.