The Sudeten are a 310 km long mountain range in the southwest Poland and the northern one Czech Republic. The westernmost part belongs to the Zittau Mountains in Saxony. On the Polish side, the region is part of the voivodeships Lower Silesia and Opole; the Czech side belongs to the regions North and East Bohemia as North Moravia and Silesia. The Sudetes border in the north on the Oder Valley, in the east on the Moravian Gate, in the west on the Ore Mountains and in the south to the Bohemian Basin. The highest point is the Schneekoppe (Sněžka / Śnieżka) with 1603 meters.
Regions
On the Polish side there are two national parks and several winter sports and health resorts.
West Sudetes
The Schneekoppe im Giant Mountains on the Polish-Czech border is the highest mountain at approx. 1,603 m. It is also the highest mountain in the Czech Republic. In Poland the Meeraugspitze is in the High Tatras higher at 2,499 m. There is also that Lusatian Mountains, the Jizera Mountains, the Bober-Katzbach Mountains and the Landeshuter ridge.
Medium brews
Here are those Zobten Mountains, the Owl Mountains, the Raven Mountains, the Heuscheuergebirge, the Waldenburger Bergland, the Warthagebirge, the Habelschwerdter Mountains and the Eagle Mountains.
Eastern Sudetes
Here is that Snow mountains, the Bielen Mountains, the Reichenstein Mountains, the Zuckmanteler Bergland and the Grandfather.
places
- on the Polish side
- 1 Jelenia Góra
(Hirschberg) - 2 Kłodzko (Bald)
- 3 Karpacz (Krummhübel)
- 4 Kowary (Schmiedeberg in the Giant Mountains)
- 5 Kudowa-Zdrój (Bad Kudowa)
- 6 Lądek-Zdrój (Bad Landeck)
- 7 Szklarska Poreba (Schreiberhau)
- 8 Świeradów-Zdrój (Bad Flinsberg)
- 9 Wałbrzych (Waldenburg)
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- on the Czech side
- 10 Harrachov (Harrachsdorf)
- 11 Hrádek nad Nisou (Grottau on the Neisse)
- 12 Jablonec nad Nisou (Gablonz on the Neisse)
- 13 Javorník (Jauernig)
- 14 Krnov (Jägerndorf)
- 15 Liberec (Reichenberg)
- 16 Špindlerův Mlýn (Spindleruv Mlyn)
- 17 Šumperk (Moravian Schönberg)
- 18 Trutnov (Trautenau)
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Other goals
- Polish 1 Krkonose National Park (Karkonoski Park Narodowy)
- Czech 2 Krkonose National Park (Krkonošský národní park)
- 3 Heuscheuergebirge National Park (Narodowy Gór Stołowych Park)
- 4 Broumov Protected Landscape Area (CHKO Broumovsko)
- 5 Protected landscape area Jeseníky Mountains (CHKO Jeseníky)
background
The Sudetes are one of the oldest mountains in Europe and are therefore already heavily eroded. Nevertheless, they count alongside the Beskydy Mountains with a height of up to 1603 meters above sea level to the highest low mountain ranges in Central Europe. They are heavily forested, but still have a well-developed tourist infrastructure.
The Sudetes were considered to be as early as 150 AD by the ancient Greek geographer Ptolemy Soudeta ore mentions what possibly means "wild boar mountains". For centuries they served as a natural border: initially between the countries of Bohemia and Silesia, after the Silesian War in 1742 also between the Empire of the Austrian Habsburgs and Brandenburg-Prussia and after 1871 between the German Empire and Austria-Hungary. However, since the eastern colonization of the 13th century, predominantly German-speaking residents who spoke Silesian dialects lived on both sides of the mountains.
After the First World War, the southern slope of the Sudetes belonged to Czechoslovakia. At that time, “Sudetenland” developed into an umbrella term for the parts of Czechoslovakia that were mostly populated by Germans. This also included the Bohemian Ore Mountains and areas in South Bohemia and Moravia that have nothing to do with the Sudeten Mountains geographically and in which other regional traditions were maintained and other dialects were spoken. "Sudetenland" thus became a battle term that was mainly used by German nationalist groups who wanted these areas to be connected to either Austria or the German Reich. This connection became a reality as a result of the Munich Agreement in October 1938.
After the Second World War, the northern slope of the Sudetes came to Poland, the southern slope back to Czechoslovakia (or after 1993 to the Czech Republic). The German-speaking population was for the most part expelled, so that today almost exclusively Poles and Czechs live on the respective side. In the Czech Republic the term "Sudeten" is (Sudety) rather avoided due to the historical-political connotations. Instead, one names the respective part of the mountain or, if an umbrella term is required, speaks of Krkonošsko-jesenická subprovincie ("Giant Mountains-Jeseníky Mountains area").
language
Polish is spoken in Poland and Czech in the Czech Republic. English is understood almost everywhere. In areas that are dominated by tourism, you can sometimes communicate in German.
getting there
plane
The closest airports are on the Polish side at 1 Wroclaw
(IATA: WRO) (WRO); on the Czech side 2 Ostrava(IATA: OSR) (OSR) for the East Sudetes 3 Pardubice(IATA: PED) (PED) or 4 Prague(IATA: PRG) (PRG) for the West Sudetes. If the destination is in the westernmost part of the mountain, there is also a flight Dresden (DRS) into consideration.
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train
Larger railway junctions are located on the Polish side in Jelenia Góra, Wałbrzych and Kłodzko. Jelenia Góra can be reached by regional trains from Görlitz. Otherwise, the journey will usually take place via Wroclaw (accessible with NightJet Berlin – Vienna).
The Trilex-Express runs from Dresden via Zittau directly to Liberec (journey time 2:15 hours).
With the Railjet Vienna – Prague you can go to Česká Třebová or Pardubice, where there is a connection in the direction of the Sudetes. Express trains run from Ostrava and Olomouc to Krnov and Bruntál.
road
North of the Sudetes leads the A4 motorway of Gorlitz above Wroclaw and Opole continue after Katowice and Krakow.
mobility
The road network is very good and the best way to get from A to B is with your own set of wheels. There are also train and bus connections, but you have to expect longer travel times and transfer connections at the larger transport hubs. Cable cars lead to the most important peaks. The network of hiking trails is well marked and dense.
Tourist Attractions
- in the Polish West Sudetes
- Norwegian 1 Wang Stave Church in Karpacz
- 2 Czocha Castle (Zamek Czocha) near Leśna
- 3 Chojnik Castle (Kynast) at Jelenia Góra
- Castles in the Hirschberg Valley at Jelenia Góra, z. B. Schildau Castle (Wojanów), Lomnitz Castle (Łomnica) and Fischbach Castle (Karpniki)
- 4 Midday stone (Słonecznik) - striking granite formation on the ridge of the Giant Mountains
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Wang Stave Church
Czocha Castle
Chojnik Castle
Schildau Castle
- in the Czech West Sudetes
- 5 Frýdlant Castle (Friedland)
- 6 Grabštejn Castle (Grafenstein)
- 7 Ještěd TV tower near Liberec - a 100-meter-high, architecturally unusual hyperboloid construction on the mountain Ještěd of the same name; also houses a hotel and restaurant
- Downtown of Liberec with town hall, castle and theater
- 8 Liberec Zoo
- 9 Stachelberg Fortress - Czechoslovak artillery fortress from the 1930s with a museum
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Frýdlant Castle
Grabštejn Castle
Ještěd TV tower
Liberec City Hall
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- in the Polish medium-sized soups
- 10 Fürstenstein Castle (Zamek Książ) at Wałbrzych
- 11 Grüssau Monastery (Opactwo Cysterskie w Krzeszowie) at Kamienna Góra
- 12 Skull chapel (Kaplica Czaszek) in Czermna near Kudowa-Zdrój
- 13 Glatz Fortress (Twierdza Kłodzko)
- 14 Heinrichau Monastery (Opactwo Cystersów w Henrykowie)
- 15 Bożków Castle (Eckersdorf)
- the baroque one 16 Pilgrimage Basilica in Wambierzyce (Albendorf; Sanctuary Wambierzyckiej) - the "Silesian Jerusalem"
Fürstenstein Castle
Grüssau Monastery
Skull chapel
Glatz Fortress
- in the Czech central Sudetes
- 17 Broumov Benedictine Abbey
- in the Polish East Sudetes
- 18 Bear cave (Jaskinia Niedźwiedzia) near Kletno
- in the Czech East Sudetes
- 19 Jánský Vrch Castle (Johannesberg) in Javorník
- 20 Velké Losiny Castle (Gross Ullersdorf)
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Broumov Monastery
Bear cave
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activities
The Sudetes are very suitable for winter sports, hiking and canoeing. Cross-country skiing is particularly popular at Szklarska Poręba. In summer, horse riding in the woods is popular.
Especially in the Giant Mountains there are a number of mountain huts and hostels called "Bauden", e. B. Luční bouda (meadow hut), Schronisko Dom Śląski (Silesian house), Schronisko Strzecha Akademicka (jumping hut). On the Polish side, these are mainly provided by the Polish Tourism and Regional Studies Association (Polskie Towarzystwo Turystyczno-Krajoznawcze, PTTK).
- Swimming lake 1 Kristýna at Hrádek nad Nisou
kitchen
The regional cuisine is strongly influenced by the forests and rivers of the mountains. Mushrooms, forest fruits, fish - especially trout - and game are often found. Otherwise the respective regional cuisine is strongly represented.
nightlife
The nightlife is concentrated in the larger cities.
security
When hiking you shouldn't leave the marked trails in the national parks. Otherwise there is a risk of falling, especially in the Giant Mountains. In winter you shouldn't underestimate the cold and the icy wind. Weatherproof hiking clothing is a must.
climate
The microclimate in winter is very cold and snowy. But even in summer it is rather cool in the higher elevations. High fog often occurs.
literature
See article too Poland and Czech Republic.
