The story of the commemorative plaque in Peklo near Nové Město nad Metují and the “Jiráskova Mountain Trail” began on July 31, 1921. At 11:00 a.m., the “Jirásek Mountain Trail” was officially opened in front of the Panorama mountain hut on Dříš in Deštné in the Orlické Mountains; the Czechoslovak Tourist Club had dedicated the trail to Alois Jirásek on the occasion of his 70th birthday.
At that time, the route was 96 km long and wound its way from Nové Město nad Metují to Jablonné nad Orlicí. After World War II, it was extended to an impressive 162 km—from Broumov to Litomyšl—and today it is even a red-marked backbone section of the popular Trail Through Bohemia. A copper commemorative plaque located at the Bartoň shelter in Peklo also served as a reminder of the trail’s existence; it remained there for more than 100 years—until June 2025, when it was stolen. All that remains as a memento are numerous photographs, one of which, until recently, hung at the shelter as a makeshift replacement.
However, that changed on May 14, 2026, when a new copper plaque—a faithful replica of the original—was ceremonially unveiled. It is a copper electrotype that we produced at our Nové Město-based company, Electroforming s.r.o., for the client—the Bartoň family of Dobenín.
How the replica of the plaque was created
First, we jointly announced a contest on social media for the best photograph of the original plaque. The winner was our fellow citizen, Mr. Jiří Novotný, who submitted the highest-quality source material. From that, we created a digital 3D model measuring 65 × 65 cm.
Next, we 3D-printed the matrix—that is, the mold used to produce the entire board.
We coated the mold with an electrically conductive layer and immersed it in an electroplating bath. Over the course of 10 days, a layer of copper approximately 2 mm thick gradually formed on the mold, precisely replicating all the details of its surface.
After removing it from the bath, we removed the plastic mold, leaving us with a solid copper sheet featuring a perfect three-dimensional relief of the original plaque—a galvanoplastic.
This was followed by cleaning, patination, painting the hiking trail marker, and the final installation of the plaque in its rightful historical location.
Back in Its Place
Today, the plaque is once again in its place on the wall of the Bartoň Shelter in Peklo.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to the project—my colleagues for their excellent work during production, Mr. Jiří Novotný for the photos he sent, trail marker Mr. Pavel Staňek from the Czech Tourist Club for painting the red trail marker, and the investor, the Bartoň family from Dobenín, for their unwavering enthusiasm and perseverance in restoring beautiful places in our region.
If you haven’t seen the plaque yet, take a trip to Peklo near Nové Město nad Metují and see it for yourself.
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