Tri-Nation Point
The Tri-Nation Point – a place where the borders of three countries meet. On the map of Europe, we can find several of them. Czech–German–Polish Tri-Nation Point is on confluence of the Lužická Nisa River and the Oldřichovský Brook The state borders go through the centre of both the river and the brook. It is less than 2 km from the Hrádek nad Nisou town centre, and not far from the German town Zittau. The nearest Polish bigger town is Bogatynia.
Czech–German–Polish Tri-Nation Point has witnessed changes that Europe has been going through in the last 70 years. It was created in 1945 based on the Potsdam Agreement. Then, the state border between Germany and Poland was moved westward to the line Odra–Nisa. The Tri-Nation Point was not accessible for many years afterwad. The state borders were closed and guarded well, even though the countries of the former Eastern bloc were allied. The change came only in 1989 with the opening of new border crossings. Since then the place is accessible to anyone who wants to visit it.
The Tri-Nation Point witnessed Europe’s Finest Hour – a big celebration of the Enlargement of the European Union in 2004. The process of the opening of the EU borders was finished in 2007 when the Czech Republic and Poland became part of the Schengen Area. The Czech-Polish border is possible to cross through the pedestrian bridge over the Oldřichovský Brook. The river banks of Nisa were connected by the Nebeský Bridge not so long ago. It was 200 meters away from the Tri-Nation Point down the current, but due to a bad technical condition it was demolished. Nowadays, Hrádek nad Nisou, Zittau and Bogatynia are endeavouring to build a roundabout bridge above the confluence of both the river and the brook.
A symbolic triangular obelisk and a wooden bell tower are on the Czech side of the Tri-Nation Point. The cooperation of the three towns commemorates a monument on the Polish side. A cross and a place for tourist to have a rest are on the German side of the Tri-Nation Point. The state flags fly in the Tri-Nation Point all the time.
The folk festival Common Journey, ecumenical masses are being annually held at this symbolic place. The fairy Nisa brings her message down the river every June and the inhabitants of the Tri-Nation Point send a message in a bottle down the river in December. After the borders were opened, the Nisa River became alive because of tourists who go down the river from Machnín to a Sachsen town Ostritz.