Treasures beneath Křížová hora (590 m) near Žitenice can supposedly be found only with the so-called opening root. Tradition gives a complicated way to obtain it: drive a wedge into the opening of an empty woodpecker's nest. Seeing the blockage, the bird flies off to find the root. The waiting person spreads a red or white scarf beneath the nest and, when the woodpecker returns with the root, claps quickly three times. Startled, the bird drops it. One must carefully pick it up with the scarf, never touching it with bare hands or it supposedly loses its magical power.
Location and map
- Place
- Žitenice
- Municipality / starting point
- Žitenice
- District / region
- Litoměřice
- Country
- Czechia
- Distance and direction
- 3 km NE of Litoměřic
The link searches for Žitenice and its surroundings. The sources do not establish the precise point of this legend.
Approximate location · municipality or area search. The distance comes from the sources, not a currently calculated route.
Sources of the original atlas Tajemná místa · page 390
This legend preserves a folk tale. Its motifs do not constitute evidence of supernatural events.