The romantic ruins of Oybin cliff-top castle and monastery are of the most important monuments in Upper Lusatia. The complex is situated at the foot of the sandstone table mountain at the edge of Kurort Oybin spa town. The castle was probably built during the 13th century as a guard station next to an important trade route connecting Bohemia and Lusatia. According to legend it was established by Chvala of Lipé, who discovered the cliff when out hunting bears.
George of Lipé, who received the castle from George VII as an imperial fief for his services, expanded the castle at the beginning of the 14th century. During the middle of the 14th century the castle came into the possession of the Czech King, Charles IV, who established a Celestine Monastery at Oybin. The castle and monastery and adjoining land were purchased by Zittau during the second half of the 16th century.
In 1577 the castle was struck by lightning and practically the whole complex was destroyed and never restored. Approximately a hundred years later, in 1681, part of the cliff fell taking a castle tower with it and burying the courtyard. In 1829 the ruins of the castle and monastery were opened to the public, but the remains continued to decay. The complex only underwent extensive repair work after 1990, when the castle towers, church and the masonry of the imperial palace were restored.
The complex is currently open to the public. The path from the car park leads between the houses below the cliff above the town and climbs up sandstone step to the castle. You cannot miss the information centre, where you can become acquainted with the history of the place.
The narrow-gauge railway linking Oybin to Zittau is unique to the area. Trains drawn by steam engines continue to travel along it. The track begins in Zittau and has two branches, one of which ends in Oybin and the other in Jonsdorf.
References:Stobi was an ancient town of Paeonia located near Gradsko. It is considered by many to be the most famous archaeological site in North Macedonia. Stobi was built where the Erigon (Crna River) joins the Axios (Vardar), making it strategically important as a center for both trade and warfare.
Stobi developed from a Paeonian settlement established in the Archaic period. It is believed that in 217 BCE, Philip V annexed Paionia during his campaign against the Dardani who had entered Bylazora, the largest Paeonian town.
The city was first mentioned in writing by the historian Livy, in connection with a victory of Philip V of Macedon over the Dardani in 197 BC. In 168 BC, the Romans defeated Perseus and Macedonia was divided into four nominally independent republics. In 148 BC, the four areas of Macedonia were brought together in a unified Roman province. In the reign of Augustus the city grew in size and population.