EURORANDO organizers preparing ‘Stone Heart of Europe’ monument for 2026 hiking fest
A new tourist landmark is taking shape near Boží Dar in the Ore Mountains. The “stone heart” monument built to celebrate the international hiking festival EURORANDO 2026, is intended to symbolize the unity of European countries.
Boží Dar, located on the Czech-German border in the Ore Mountains, is the highest-situated town in Central Europe (1,028 m a.s.l.) A popular winter sport centre, Boží Dar- which translates as Gift of God, also attracts hikers and cyclists because in addition to beautiful countryside it offers a string of accommodation and restaurant facilities along the well-kept hiking trails.
It is therefore not surprising that the organizers of the international hiking festival EURORANDO selected it as the ideal place for a monument that would not only serve as a reminder of the festival but bring tourists to the region in the months and years to come.
The monument has the form of a large steel heart embedded in the ground –much like a giant heart-shaped cookie cutter. To start off with, the stone heart will be lined with stones from the Ore Mountains but the organizers hope that during the hiking festival participants from around Europe will bring a symbolic contribution from their home region to the heart. Jan Kerner, deputy director of the Ore Mountains Tourism Agency, explains the idea behind it.
"The inspiration came from Spain, where, during a previous EURORANDO festival, waters from across Europe were brought together. We felt that stones represent the Ore Mountains better, because of the region's strong mining tradition. At the centre there is a giant arrow driven into the Heart of Europe. It bears the words 'Stone Heart of Europe' in four languages," Kerner explains.
So far, the heart has been filled only with local stones. Organizers hope that hikers from afar will soon change that.
"If say 3,000 people each bring a stone, during the course of the hikers’ festival, the heart will soon fill up with stones from different parts of Europe –to create a “stone heart of Europe”. The heart will remain here and hopefully encourage people to revisit this beautiful place with friends and family," Kerner says.
The monument’s construction is being overseen by Anton Jurica.
"We started with the idea of an upright gabion heart, but that proved technically impossible. Then we considered a horizontal gabion heart, which didn’t quite work either and I think the solution the architect finally came up with is really nice. The heart is embedded in the terrain and set at an angle so it can be seen from a nearby cycling trail. We adjusted its position several times to find the best angle, and I think we got it right. It's visible from the main routes and should become quite a nice photo spot," Jurica says.
EURORANDO 2026 will take place on both the Czech and German sides of the Ore Mountains from 20 to 27 September 2026. It is expected to attract thousands of hikers from across Europe, who will leave behind not only their footprints on the trails but also a symbolic stone in the Heart of Europe.
