Śnieżka

Śnieżka (the Czech Republic. Sněžka, German. Schneekoppe) - the highest peak in the Sudetes 1602 meters above the sea level and also the highest peak of the Czech Republic. Situated on the Polish-Czech border, towering over the "Kotlina Jeleniogórska" projecting 200 meters above "Równia pod Snieżką". It is the most outstanding Polish summit.

To the Śnieżka peak we decided to go from Karpacz, Biały Jar all the time along the red trail to the summit takes around 3.5 hours. The difference in level between the starting point and the peak is over 880 meters.

The beginning of route we went asphalt road, by ie. Orlinek, the place where we enter the Karkonoszki National Park. Then we walked through the woods past the shelter "PTTK Nad Łomniczką". The shelter is situated at an altitude of 1002 m above the sea level in the bottom on the banks of the creek Łomniczka flowing at the foot of Śnieżka.

After passing the shelter "Nad Łomniczką" from every minute shows us more and more beautiful views of the entire Giant Mountains.

Just before defeating the most strenuous stretch before Równia pod Śnieżką, is a monument commemorating the victims of the mountains and the plaques with the names of people who died in the mountains.

Next we passed by "Dom Śląski" - it is shelter in the Sudetes in the band of the Giant Mountains at an altitude of 1400 m above the sea level. This is the highest situated shelter in the Polish Sudetes. Bogs on the Równia pod Śnieżką, near the hostel, are among the finest in Europe.

On the peak Śnieżka is situated high mountain observatory, it was opened in 1974. Consist of a complex of three blocks in the shape of a disk.

From the top of Śnieżka spreads a magnificent view of the Polish and Czech side Sudetes.

It is situated here even Chapel of St. Wawrzyniec,  was built in the years 1665 to 1681 in Baroque style. The diameter of the rotunda is approx. 7 meters. Inside, the walls covered with nineteenth-century frescoes, and furnishings of the chapel is very modest. The chapel is an active religious building. Every year, on August 10 is celebrated in the Mass.