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98-583: Crossing the river Elbe , the road bridge connects the Innere Neustadt in the north (right bank) with the historic city centre to the south (left bank). There has been a bridge at the same location since at least the 12th century. Under king Augustus II the Strong of Poland and Saxony, a new sandstone bridge was built with 12 arches between 1727 and 1731. This bridge was replaced by the present, also sandstone, bridge with 9 arches in order to provide

196-692: A mountain range located in the north of the Czech Republic and the south-west of Poland , part of the Sudetes mountain system (part of the Bohemian Massif ). The Czech–Polish border, which divides the historic regions of Bohemia and Silesia , runs along the main ridge. The highest peak, Sněžka ( Polish : Śnieżka ), is the Czech Republic's highest natural point with an elevation of 1,603 metres (5,259 ft). On both sides of

294-581: A princely hideaway, and in 1838 the king purchased nearby Schildau Castle (today Wojanów ) for his daughter Louise , Princess of the Netherlands. Frederick William IV enlarged the Erdmannsdorf manor house. Many new parks were created and manors and palaces rebuilt according to the newest architectural styles. In 1918 the Republic of Czechoslovakia was founded, and in the following years there

392-449: A road connecting the village of Borowice with Przełęcz Karkonoska, now known as Droga Borowicka ("Borowice Road"). Poor sanitary and feeding conditions resulted in a high mortality rate, and after a typhus epidemic broke out in 1942 the construction was halted. After the defeat of Germany in the war, the mountains became again part Czechoslovakia and Poland, although with Soviet-installed communist regimes, which stayed in power until

490-813: A type of cable ferry that uses the current flow of the river to provide propulsion. Humans first lived in the northern Elbe region before about 200,000 years ago, during the Middle Paleolithic . Ptolemy recorded the Elbe as Albis ( Germanic for "river") in Germania Magna, with its source in the Asciburgis mountains ( Giant Mountains ), where the Germanic Vandalii then lived. The Elbe has long served as an important delineator of European geography. The Romans knew

588-542: A wider opening for river traffic. It was designed by Wilhelm Kreis and Theodor Klette. Three tram lines of the Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe pass over the Augustus Bridge. The current bridge was built between 1907 and 1910. 51°03′19″N 13°44′22″E  /  51.0553°N 13.7394°E  / 51.0553; 13.7394 This article about a Saxony building or structure

686-514: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Elbe The Elbe ( German: [ˈɛlbə] ; Czech : Labe [ˈlabɛ] ; Low German : Ilv or Elv ; Upper and Lower Sorbian : Łobjo , pronounced [ˈwɔbʲɔ] ) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe . It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of

784-580: Is a popular destination for tourists engaging in downhill and cross-country skiing , hiking , cycling and other activities. The range has been called the Giant Mountains in English literature since at least 1719. The Czech name "Krkonoše" is first mentioned (in the singular, as "Krkonoš" ) in a 1492 record of the division of the Manor of Štěpanice into two parts. The first map occurrence of

882-548: Is a protected area, and many houses are only used at weekends, for recreational purposes. The population exchange also led to a decline of the cultural landscape. In large parts of the mountains the meadows ran to seed, settlements deracinated , hundreds of traditional houses and mountain huts decayed or turned into architecturally worthless objects and countless memorials, chapels, shrines, landmarks and springs were destroyed, because they were either German-related or ecclesiastic. New Polish names were issued by political decree in

980-798: Is bridged by the Köhlbrandbrücke , the last bridge over the Elbe before the North Sea. The Northern Elbe passes the Elbe Philharmonic Hall and is then crossed under by the old Elbe Tunnel (Alter Elbtunnel) , both in Hamburg's city centre. A bit more downstream, the Low Elbe's two main anabranches Northern Elbe and the Köhlbrand reunite south of Altona -Altstadt, a locality of Hamburg. Right after both anabranches reunite,

1078-481: Is first listed by Ptolemy and refers to a pre-Celtic or Germanic people . In Simon Hüttel's chronicle of Trautenau ( Trutnov ) from 1549 the names Hrisenpergisches Gebirge , Hrisengepirge , Hrisengebirge , Risengepirge appeared for the first time, but in the following centuries several other names were still used too. Martin Helwig's map of Silesia mentions Riſenberg (Risenberg). In 1380, Přibík Pulkava called

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1176-641: Is linked by canals ( Elbe Lateral Canal , Elbe-Havel Canal , Mittellandkanal ) to the industrial areas of Germany and to Berlin . The Elbe-Lübeck Canal links the Elbe to the Baltic Sea , as does the Kiel Canal , whose western entrance is near the mouth of the Elbe. The Elbe-Weser Shipping Channel connects the Elbe with the Weser . By the Treaty of Versailles the navigation on the Elbe became subject to

1274-505: Is more than doubled in volume by the Vltava , a major river which winds northwards through Bohemia . Upstream from the confluence the Vltava is in fact much longer (434 kilometres (270 mi) against 294 kilometres (183 mi) of the Elbe so far), and has a greater discharge and a larger drainage basin . Nonetheless, for historical reasons the river retains the name Elbe, also because at

1372-645: Is the subalpine vegetation zone , which is marked by knee timber , mat-grass meadows and subarctic high moors. This habitat of special importance in the Krkonoše is a relic of Arctic tundra, which was typical in Central Europe during the ice age. At the same time, however, there was a connection to the alpine grasslands of the Alps, and plant species coexist here which are otherwise separated by several thousand kilometers, such as cloudberries. Some species evolved under

1470-495: The Giant Mountains on the northwest borders of the Czech Republic. Of the numerous small streams whose waters compose the infant river. After plunging down the 30 metres (98 ft) of the Elbe Falls , the latter stream unites with the steeply torrential Bílé Labe , and thereafter the united stream of the Elbe pursues a southerly course, emerging from the mountain glens at Jaroměř , where it receives Úpa and Metuje . Here

1568-750: The Knights Hospitaller from Strzegom , and in 1292, Duke Bolko I the Strict granted the Grzbiet Lasocki in the east to the Krzeszów Abbey , whereas the remainder of the Polish part of the mountains remained a ducal possession, but there were some small noble possessions. The first people who explored the inner parts of the Giant Mountains were treasure hunters and miners looking for gold, silver, ores and valuable stones, mainly on

1666-718: The Kreuzberg between 1888 and 1894 the garden architect Hermann Mächtig designed its waterfall after the Zackelfall ( Kamieńczyk Falls ) and a gully after Wolfsschlucht (Vlčí rokle in Adršpach). After World War II, ski resorts expanded with new lifts and slopes on both sides of the mountains, while the traditional mountain huts were neglected . Many were victims of fires, such as Labská bouda, Riesenbaude , and Prinz-Heinrich-Baude . Similarly many hiking trails, ski jumps and luge tracks fell into disrepair due to lack of care. In 1945,

1764-496: The Middle High German word Buode , which means booth or building. The Polish name is schronisko . These were mostly named either for the location or for their constructor or occupant. The occupants, however, often changed after the expulsion, and several mountain huts especially on the now Polish side received new names. Entire colonies of mountain huts were called after the families who lived there. They are located in

1862-641: The North German Plain passing along the former western border of East Germany , touching Torgau , Wittenberg , Dessau , Magdeburg , Wittenberge , and Hamburg on the way, and taking on the waters of the Mulde and Saale from the west, and those of the Schwarze Elster , Havel and Elde from the east. In its northern section both banks of the Elbe are characterised by flat, very fertile marshlands ( Elbe Marshes ), former flood plains of

1960-591: The U.S. Army . In 1945, as World War II drew to a close, Germany came under attack from the armies of the western Allies advancing from the west and those of the Soviet Union advancing from the east. On 25 April 1945 these two forces linked up near Torgau , on the Elbe. The victorious countries marked the event unofficially as Elbe Day . From 1949 to 1990 the Elbe formed part of the Inner German border between East Germany and West Germany . During

2058-466: The Wendish Crusade of 1147. The Elbe delineated the western parts of Germany from the eastern so-called East Elbia , where soccage and serfdom were more strict and prevailed longer than westwards of the river, and where feudal lords held bigger estates than in the west. Thus incumbents of huge land-holdings became characterised as East Elbian Junkers . The Northern German area north of

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2156-618: The tree line . The main ridge of the mountains runs from east to west and forms the border between these two countries. Its highest peak, Sněžka/Śnieżka , is the highest peak of the Czech Republic. The Silesian northern part, in Poland, drops steeply to the Jelenia Góra valley, whereas the southern Czech part slopes gently to the Bohemian basin. In the north-easterly direction the Giant Mountains continue to Rudawy Janowickie , and in

2254-476: The 17th century, whereas the oldest surviving monument to a mountain victim is located on Sněžka/Śnieżka and commemorates Jan Pieniążek-Odrowąż who died in 1828. As a result, the mountains became one of the most popular vacation areas in the German Empire . In the 19th century, the most numerous tourists were Germans and Poles . Polish-language guidebooks to the Giant Mountains have been published since

2352-743: The 18th century, and in the 18th-19th centuries there were also indigenous Polish mountain guides. In the 19th century, many Czech writers visited the mountains and climbed Sněžka, which they then described in their works. Mount Sněžka was a symbol of the Slavic origin of the Czechs and a source of inspiration in the Czech National Revival movement. During the Gründerzeit (19th century period of industrial and economic growth) many manufacturers from Berlin built numerous holiday villas on

2450-447: The 1970s and culminated in the late 1980s, could not be stopped entirely. The clearing of forests in the surroundings of mountain huts created species-rich mountain meadows, which were maintained in alpine pasture farming. After the expulsion of Germans in 1945, this type of management largely came to a standstill and the mountain meadows were largely abandoned. Above the timber line at about 1,250 to 1,350 m (4,100 to 4,430 ft)

2548-484: The 1970s the Soviet Union stated that Adolf Hitler 's ashes had been scattered in the Elbe following disinterment from their original burial-site. Giant Mountains The Giant Mountains , Krkonoše , or Karkonosze ( Czech: [ˈkr̩konoʃɛ] , Polish pronunciation: [karkɔˈnɔʂɛ] , German : Riesengebirge pronounced [ˈʁiːzn̩ɡəˌbɪʁɡə] ), are

2646-487: The 1980s for all but Polish and Czechoslovak citizens. The mountains are on the route of main Sudetes hiking trail, Główny Szlak Sudecki (440 km from Świeradów Zdrój to Prudnik ), which follows the main ridge. Today, the Giant Mountains are a popular holiday destination in both summer and winter. The Giant Mountains are a traditional winter sports centre in Central Europe. The largest mountain resorts are located on

2744-489: The 1980s. Almost the entire German population was expelled in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement . On the northern Silesian side, Poles, some of whom had been expelled from what was formerly eastern Poland resettled the area, while Czechs re-settled the southern Bohemian side of the mountain range. Today the population density of the area of the national park is two-thirds lower than before World War II, as it

2842-1167: The Czech Hikers Club (KCT) after the Land Control Act. This influx was stopped when the Czechoslovakian side of the mountains was occupied by Germany in 1938, and many of these Czechs left the region or were expelled. There was no fighting in the Giant Mountains during World War II , and the Germans occupied the mountain huts as military observation posts, communication posts and resorts for troops. The Germans operated at least 15 forced labour camps, located in Przesieka , Przełęcz Karkonoska , Piechowice , Kowary and Krzaczyna . The camps held prisoners of various nationalities, including Polish (often women and sometimes even children), Italian, French, Jewish, Czech, Belgian, Luxembourgish, Ukrainian and Russian. Belgian, French and Soviet prisoners of war, and possibly also Czech and Polish civilians, were used to build

2940-500: The Czech Republic and Schronisko Strzecha Akademicka, Schronisko Samotnia and Schronisko na Hali Szrenickiej in Poland. In other places, the old mountain huts were replaced by newer buildings which were specially built for tourism purposes. Huts from the 20th century include Petrova bouda and the hut on the summit of mount Sněžka/Śnieżka. There are also many impressive rock formations, such as Dívčí kameny-Śląskie Kamienie and Mužské kameny-Czeskie Kamienie, above 1,400 metres (4,600 feet) on

3038-734: The Czech Republic holds the former Czechoslovak legal position. Before Germany was reunited, waterway transport in Western Germany was hindered by the fact that inland navigation to Hamburg had to pass through the German Democratic Republic. The Elbe-Seitenkanal (Elbe Lateral Canal) was built between the West German section of the Mittellandkanal and the Lower Elbe to restore this connection. When

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3136-565: The Czech Republic), then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven , 110 kilometres (68 miles) northwest of Hamburg . Its total length is 1,094 km (680 mi). The Elbe's major tributaries include the rivers Vltava , Saale , Havel , Mulde , Schwarze Elster , and Ohře . The Elbe river basin, comprising the Elbe and its tributaries, has a catchment area of 148,268 square kilometres (57,247 sq mi),

3234-411: The Czech Republic. Apart from minor adjustments, the boundary has survived unchanged to this day. It is disputed whether the Polish ruler Bolesław III Wrymouth crossed the Giant Mountains during his reprisal campaign against Bohemia in 1110. Until the establishment of Poland in the 10th-11th century the mountain range and its foothills were unpopulated, with deep, impenetrable forests. The Polish part

3332-643: The Czech side in Pec pod Sněžkou , Špindlerův Mlýn , Harrachov and Janské Lázně and on the Polish side in Szklarska Poręba , Karpacz and Kowary . August Neidhardt von Gneisenau described a sledging of ten kilometres (6.2 miles) from Grenzbauden (Pomezní boudy) to Schmiedeberg (Kowary) already in 1817. Much earlier however heavy sledges already transported timber and hay whereas smaller and more manoeuvrable sledges, so called "Hitsch'n", were used to get faster from

3430-480: The Elbe enters the vast vale named Polabí (meaning "land along the Elbe"), and continues on southwards through Hradec Králové (where Orlice flows in) and then to Pardubice , where it turns sharply to the west. At Kolín some 43 kilometres (27 mi) further on, it bends gradually towards the north-west. At the village of Káraný , a little above Brandýs nad Labem , the Jizera enters in. At Mělník its stream

3528-550: The Elbe now diked. At Magdeburg there is a viaduct, the Magdeburg Water Bridge , that carries a canal and its shipping traffic over the Elbe and its banks, allowing shipping traffic to pass under it unhindered. From the sluice of Geesthacht (at kilometre 586) on downstream the Elbe is subject to the tides , the tidal Elbe section is called the Unterelbe (Low Elbe). Soon the Elbe reaches Hamburg. Within

3626-545: The European luge championships many times. The first Rendezvous race, predecessor of today's Nordic Ski Championships , was hosted by Johannisbad, the majority of the competitions were won by HDW athletes. The mountain range is traversed by the cross-border hiking trail along the main ridge called the " Polish–Czech Friendship Trail ". The start point is located on Szrenica and the end in the Okraj Pass / Pomezní boudy ;

3724-719: The German Twelfth Army located to the west of Berlin to guard against the advancing American and British forces. But, as the Western Front moved eastwards and the Eastern Front moved westwards, the German armies making up both fronts backed towards each other. As a result, the area of control of Wenck's army to his rear and east of the Elbe River had become a vast refugee camp for Germans fleeing from

3822-435: The Giant Mountains amounts to 631 square kilometres (244 square miles), 454 square kilometres (175 square miles) within the Czech Republic and 177 square kilometres (68 square miles) in Poland. While most of the Sudetes are middle-sized Mittelgebirge mountains, the Giant Mountains have a few characteristics of proper high mountains such as glacial cirques , small periglacial landforms and an elevation significantly above

3920-666: The International Commission of the Elbe, seated in Dresden. The statute of the commission was signed in Dresden on 22 February 1922. Following articles 363 and 364 of the Treaty of Versailles, Czechoslovakia was entitled to lease its own harbour basin, Moldauhafen in Hamburg. The contract of lease with Germany, and supervised by the United Kingdom , was signed on 14 February 1929, ending in 2028. Since 1993

4018-561: The Jizera mountains. The rivers on the Czech side often fall over steep edges into valleys formed by ice-age glaciers. The largest waterfalls on the southern side of the mountains are the Labský vodopád with a height of 50 metres (160 feet), Pančavský waterfall (140 metres (460 feet), the highest waterfall in the Czech Republic), Horní Úpský waterfall, Dolní Úpský waterfall and Mumlavský waterfall (10 metres or 33 feet ). The most important rivers on

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4116-407: The Krkonoše and obtained the entire dominion of Vrchlabí ( Hohenelbe , High Elbe ). His enterprising spirit was crucial for the further development of the area. For the supplement of the miners he founded many smaller towns in higher parts of the mountains. Further down in the valleys iron work furnaces were built, and water wheels provided the energy required. Due to the intensive economic activity

4214-650: The Low Elbe is passed under by the New Elbe Tunnel (Neuer Elbtunnel) , the last structural road link crossing the river before the North Sea. At the bay Mühlenberger Loch in Hamburg at kilometre 634, the Northern Elbe and the Southern Elbe (here now the cut-off meander Old Southern Elbe) used to reunite, which is why the bay is seen as the starting point of the Niederelbe (Lower Elbe). Leaving

4312-630: The Lower Elbe used to be called North Albingia in the Middle Ages. When the four Lutheran church bodies there united in 1977 they chose the name North Elbian Evangelical Lutheran Church . Other, administrative units were named after the river Elbe, such as the Westphalian Elbe département (1807–1813) and Lower Elbe département (1810), and the French département Bouches-de-l'Elbe (1811–1814). On 10 April 1945, General Wenck of

4410-515: The North Sea, those on the north side into the Baltic. The river valleys and lower layers form the sub- montane zone . The aboriginal hardwood and mixed forests are largely replaced with spruce monocultures . Only the river valleys offer remnants of hardwood forests. The higher parts form the montane vegetation zone. Their natural coniferous forests have also in large parts been replaced by spruce monocultures, which are often heavily damaged due to air pollution and soil acidification. In many places,

4508-406: The Obří důl, Labský důl and Důl Bílého Labe on the south side and the dramatic Śnieżne Kotły, Kocioł Łomniczki and the calderas of mountain lakes Wielki Staw and Mały Staw on the north side of the main ridge. The species-richest areas are called zahrádka ("garden"). There are about 15 in Krkonoše, for example Čertova zahrádka und Krakonošova zahrádka. On both the Czech and Polish side, large parts of

4606-409: The Polish Dolnośląskie Towarzystwo Turystyczno-Krajoznawcze ("Lower Silesian Tourist and Sightseeing Society") was founded in Przesieka , which was merged with the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society the following year. The Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society re-opened several mountain huts. The cross-border hiking trail on the main ridge called " Polish–Czech Friendship Trail " was closed in

4704-415: The Polish (Silesian) northern part, where farming conditions were better, and later the southern Bohemian part along the Elbe and Úpa rivers. Many agricultural settlements, markets and handcraft communities and cities were founded at that time, and they formed a base for the further colonization of the mountain range. In 1281, Duke Bernard the Lightsome granted the western portion of the Giant Mountains to

4802-410: The Polish national park prohibit reforestation of damaged and dead forests. On the Czech side, however, large-scale reforestation projects are common. The climate of the Giant Mountains is marked by frequent weather changes. The winters are cold and snow depths above 3 metres (9.8 feet) are not uncommon. Many parts of the mountains are covered with snow for five or six months. There is often dense fog at

4900-413: The Polish northern Giant Mountains. In the 1970s and 1980s, Polish and Czech anti-communist activists met illegally in the Giant Mountains. Following the Fall of Communism , presidents of Czechoslovakia and Poland met at the Przełęcz Karkonoska in 1990. Typical for the Giant Mountains are its numerous mountain huts, which are called bouda in Czech and Baude in German. Both names are derived from

4998-411: The Polish side are Kamienna, Łomnica and Bóbr . They also form impressive waterfalls, such as Kamieńczyk Falls (27 metres or 89 feet), Szklarki Falls (13.3 metres or 44 feet) Wodospad na Łomnicy (10 m or 33 ft) or Podgórna Falls (10 m or 33 ft). The main ridge of the Giant Mountains forms the watershed between the North Sea and the Baltic. The rivers on the south side drain into

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5096-415: The Silesian Schaffgotsch dominions (which family owned the Silesian part of the mountains, as well as large estates in the Jelenia Góra Valley north of them since the Middle Ages), defines the border between Bohemia and Silesia to this day. At first Bad Warmbrunn ( Cieplice Śląskie Zdrój , now a district of Jelenia Góra) with its hot springs became a popular bath and tourist centre on the northern side of

5194-411: The Silesian part of the mountains, where they settled in Marysin (present-day district of Szklarska Poręba ), Karpacz , Borowice , Michałowice (present-day district of Piechowice ) and Jagniątków (present-day district of Jelenia Góra ). Following the war, several cottages, called bouda (plural: boudy ) in Czech, buda (plural: budy ) in Polish and Baude (plural: Bauden ) in German, remained in

5292-577: The Silesian side and the Austrian Riesengebirgsverein on the Bohemian side . The touristic development of the Krkonoše was one of their goals, and this primarily meant the construction of hiking trails . In the following years they created a network of 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles), with 500 kilometres (310 miles) on the Silesian (main) and Bohemian ridge alone . With the development of settlement and tourism, there have been cases of deaths from falls from heights, straying and freezing or from avalanches. The oldest surviving records of avalanches date back to

5390-409: The Silesian side, many of which are preserved to this day and provide a special flair , as in Szklarska Poręba (formerly Schreiberhau) . Direct rail links to Schreiberhau from Berlin, Breslau (Wrocław), Stettin (Szczecin) and Dresden , and later even Deutsche Luft Hansa air links via Hirschberg (Jelenia Góra), enabled a convenient and speedy arrival . On laying out Berlin's Victoria Park on

5488-491: The Silesian side. In the 14th and 15th centuries foreigners who spoke a non-German language came to the mountains. They were called "Wallen" (see Walha ), and their journeys to the "treasure" deposits were recorded in so-called "Wallenbüchern" (Wallen books). Mysterious orientation signs from these "Wallen" are visible to this day, especially on the northern side of the mountains. In the 14th–16th centuries, miners, glassmakers, charcoal burners, woodcutters and shepherds settled in

5586-417: The Sněžka were common, for instance by Theodor Körner and Johann Wolfgang Goethe . Artists like Caspar David Friedrich and Carl Gustav Carus hiked through the mountains to find inspiration . Future President of the United States John Quincy Adams visited the Giant Mountains in 1800. At the end of the 19th century two mountain clubs were founded, the German Riesengebirgsverein (Giant Mountains Club) on

5684-414: The approaching Soviet Army. Wenck took great pains to provide food and lodging for these refugees. At one stage, the Twelfth Army was estimated to be feeding more than a quarter of a million people every day. During the night of 28 April, Wenck reported to the German Supreme Army Command in Fuerstenberg that his Twelfth Army had been forced back along the entire front. According to Wenck, no attack on Berlin

5782-454: The basaltic mass of the České Středohoří , churning its way through a picturesque, deep, narrow and curved rocky gorge. Shortly after crossing the Czech-German frontier, and passing through the sandstone defiles of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains , the stream assumes a north-westerly direction, which on the whole it preserves right to the North Sea. The river rolls through Dresden and finally, beyond Meissen , enters on its long journey across

5880-412: The border, large areas of the mountains are designated national parks ( Krkonoše National Park in the Czech Republic and Karkonosze National Park in Poland), and these together comprise the Krkonoše/Karkonosze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme . The source of the River Elbe is within the Giant Mountains. The range has a number of major ski resorts, and

5978-410: The character of the mountains and shaped the cultural landscape significantly. Hundreds of families, especially from the Tyrol region, created another group of inhabitants who spoke a different German dialect and brought another domestic culture to the Krkonoše. On the mountain hillsides they founded new settlements, laid down the basis for later farming by breeding cattle and built wooden dams to retain

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6076-403: The city-state the Lower Elbe then passes between Holstein and the Elbe-Weser Triangle with Stade until it flows into the North Sea at Cuxhaven . Near its mouth, it passes the entrance to the Kiel Canal at Brunsbüttel before it debouches into the North Sea. The Elbe has always been navigable by commercial vessels, and provides important trade links as far inland as Prague . The river

6174-484: The city-state the Unterelbe has a number of branch streams, such as Dove Elbe , Gose Elbe , Köhlbrand , Norderelbe (Northern Elbe), Reiherstieg , Süderelbe (Southern Elbe). Some of which have been disconnected for vessels from the main stream by dikes. In 1390 the Gose Elbe (literally in English: shallow Elbe ) was separated from the main stream by a dike connecting the two then-islands of Kirchwerder and Neuengamme . The Dove Elbe (literally in English: deaf Elbe )

6272-408: The confluence point it is the Elbe that flows through the main, wider valley while the Vltava flows into the valley to meet the Elbe at almost a right angle, and thus appears to be the tributary river. Some distance lower down, at Litoměřice , the waters of the Elbe are tinted by the reddish Ohře . Thus augmented, and swollen into a stream 140 metres (460 ft) wide, the Elbe carves a path through

6370-478: The first deforested enclaves on hillsides and on the peaks appeared during this period. By order of Christopher von Gendorf, widespread timber cutting for the silver mine in Kutná Hora started in many places, which caused irreparable damage. These orders led to the third wave of colonization, which fully affected the mountain ridges. In 1566 he invited lumberjacks from Alpine countries to settle in his domain. These people from Tyrol , Carinthia and Styria changed

6468-456: The first native inhabitants were wood cutters , charcoal burners and hunters, and the first immigrants were gold prospectors. The first wave of colonization by Czech settlers in the Bohemian part goes back to the 13th century, but only includes the foothills; the mountain ridges were still unpopulated. The second wave of colonization of the foothills in the late 13th century was mostly by German settlers ( Ostsiedlung ); they first colonized

6566-484: The first three years (afterwards it moved to Vienna and finally Innsbruck ) and that the first president of the ÖSV was Guido Rotter, a local from the mountains. The clubs on the Silesian side were part of the German Ski Association (DSV). After the breakup of Austro-Hungary and the creation of Czechoslovakia the German clubs of the Bohemian side of the Giant mountains joined the newly founded HDW, an association for all German winter sports clubs in Czechoslovakia, whereas

6664-531: The foot of the mountains up to 1,230 millimetres (48 inches ) on mount Sněžka/Śnieżka. The highest precipitation, at 1,512 mm (59.5 in), is reached in the snow pits in the valleys at the foot of the main ridge. Since the Middle Ages, a state border has been established in the Giant Mountains, first between Poland and Bohemia, then between the Polish Duchy of Jawor and Bohemia, between Prussia and Austria , between Germany and Czechoslovakia , between Poland and Czechoslovakia, and then between Poland and

6762-409: The foot of the mountains. Poland's Karkonosze National Park ( Karkonoski Park Narodowy , KPN) was created in 1959 and covers an area of 55.8 square kilometres (21.5 square miles). It covers the highly sensitive higher parts of the mountain range from an altitude of about 900 to 1,000 metres (3,000 to 3,300 feet) and some special nature reserves below this zone. The strict conservation regulations of

6860-399: The forest is dead. This is due to the geographic location in the Black Triangle, a region around the German–Polish–Czech border triangle with many coal-burning power plants. The sulfur dioxide emissions, which are mainly responsible for acid rain, and the emission of many other concentrations have been greatly reduced since the beginning of the 1990s, but the forest die-back, which started in

6958-435: The higher altitudes. On average, mount Sněžka/Śnieżka is at least partly hidden in fog and/or clouds on 296 days, and has an average of about 0.2 °C, which is similar to places much further north, like Iceland. The main ridge is one of the most wind-exposed areas of Europe. On the northern side the Foehn wind is a frequent meteorological phenomenon. The annual precipitation ranges from about 700 millimetres (28 inches ) at

7056-399: The higher parts of the mountains, which were used during the cattle pasturage in the summer and sometimes even through the winter. Among the oldest are Luční bouda, Stara Śląska Buda at Łabski Szczyt , Pomezní bouda and Brádlerova bouda founded in the 1620s and 1630s. The entire mountain range became a densely populated region. During the 17th century the mountain range on the Bohemian side

7154-425: The higher parts or the ridge of the Krkonoše and were used by shepherds as wooden refuges in the summer. After 1800, some of the mountain huts became interesting for the first hikers, and towards the end of the 19th century many were converted into hostels. Later, these huts were often expanded to host a larger number of guests. Well-known historical mountain huts include Luční bouda, Martinova bouda and Vosecká bouda in

7252-438: The main ridge, Harrachovy kameny on the Czech side, and Pielgrzymy and Słonecznik in Poland. These weathered blocks of granite form high towers which often resemble humans or animals, and reach heights up to 30 metres (98 feet). Similar formations can be found in other parts of the Sudetes. The Giant Mountains form one of the most traditional tourist areas in Central Europe. As early as the 18th and 19th centuries, ascents of

7350-479: The mountain range are protected as national parks and nature reserves . The Czech Krkonoše National Park ( Krkonošský národní park , KRNAP) was created in 1963 as the second national park in Czechoslovakia , making it the oldest national park in the Czech Republic . Its area is approximately 370 square kilometres (140 sq mi), including not only the subalpine zone but also large parts down to

7448-455: The mountains the Sněžné hory (Snowy Mountains). The Czech writer Bohuslav Balbín recorded in 1679 that the mountains were known under various names: Krkonoše (Cerconossios), Rhipaeos Montes, Obrovski Mountains, Snow Mountains or Riesen Gebirge. The modern names of Krkonoše (Czech), Riesengebirge (German) and Karkonosze (Polish) became widely accepted only in the 19th century. The area of

7546-520: The mountains. In 1511 German miners from the region around Meissen in Saxony started working in Obří Důl , directly below mount Sněžka/Śnieżka, and at the same time many other mines were opened in other central parts of the mountains, like Svatý Petr, now part of Špindlerův Mlýn . In the 1530s, Christopher von Gendorf , a Carinthian aristocrat and royal senior captain of King Ferdinand I, appeared in

7644-534: The mountains. Nordic skiing was introduced during the same time when in 1880 Dr. Krause from Hirschberg (Jelenia Gora) bought some Norwegian skis in Stettin (Szczecin). A pair of them, the first recorded skis in the Giant Mountains, ended up at the Peterbaude (Petrovka). The locals however didn't know their purpose, and it wasn't until Fridtjof Nansens "Paa ski over Grønland" (The First Crossing of Greenland)

7742-648: The mountains. In 1822 Wilhelm , a brother of Prussian king Frederick William III , was the first prince of the Hohenzollern dynasty who took his summer residence in the Hirschberg (Jelenia Góra) valley, at Fischbach (today Karpniki ) castle. In 1831 the king himself bought Erdmannsdorf Estate, which he had learned to appreciate when visiting his brother in Fischbach and the previous owner of Erdmannsdorf, field marshal August von Gneisenau . The valley became

7840-588: The mountains. The first glassworks reportedly was established in the Cicha Dolina ("Silent Valley") at the foot of the Grzybowiec mountain on the Polish side already in the 13th century, yet it certainly operated in the 14th–16th centuries. In the mid-14th century, there were also glassworks in Szklarska Poręba and Vysoké nad Jizerou . Later on, glassworkers from Bohemia also moved to the Silesian part of

7938-560: The name Elbe means "river" or "river-bed" and is nothing more than the High German version of a word ( *albī ) found elsewhere in Germanic; cf. Old Norse river name Elfr , Swedish älv "river", Norwegian elv "river", Old English river name elf , and Middle Low German elve "river-bed". The Elbe (Labe) rises on the slopes of Mt. Violík at an elevation of 1,386 metres (4,547 ft) in

8036-427: The name dates back to 1518 to Klaudyán map of Bohemia , when it is referred to the mountains as "Krkonoss" . The origin of the name is usually interpreted as a compound of "krk" or "krak" , an Old Slavonic word for Krummholz (a reference to the local vegetation) – and "noš" , derived from "nosit" (to carry). Alternative linguistic theories mention a connection with the pre– Indo-European word Corconti , which

8134-590: The needed infrastructure and sponsored equipment for poorer people and schools. Around 1900 a number of sports clubs were founded in the Giant Mountains. The leading role of the region back then was emphasised by the fact that 5 of the 12 founding clubs of the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) were located in this part of the Bohemia, that the office of the ÖSV was located in Hohenelbe (Vrchlabí) for

8232-476: The ridges down into the valleys. Races with both types of sledges were a popular pastime among the locals and became an attraction for tourists. As sledging became more and more popular competitions were organized, the most popular and earliest during the late 19th century in Johannisbad (Janské Lázně). Around 1900, 3,930 sledges with long horn-shaped runners and 6,000 sport sledges were counted on both sides of

8330-832: The river as the Albis ; however, they made only one serious attempt to move the border of their empire forward from the Rhine to the Elbe, and this attempt failed with the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, after which they never seriously tried again. In the Middle Ages the Elbe formed the eastern limit of the Empire of Charlemagne (King of the Franks from 769 to 814). The river's navigable sections were essential to

8428-690: The small Czech minority joined the Svaz lyžařů , an association for all Czech winter sports clubs. The towns and villages of the Giant Mountains became a popular venue for national and international competitions, its athletes ranked among the best of the era. The first German Nordic combined champion was a local, the competition itself was staged in Schreiberhau (Szklarska Poręba). Schreiberhau also hosted several luge championships. Martin Tietze and his sister Friedel from neighbouring Brückenberg (Karpacz) won

8526-532: The south-east to Rýchory . The pass Novosvětský průsmyk (Polish: Przełęcz Szklarska ) at Jakuszyce forms the western border with the Jizera Mountains . The Bohemian ridge in the Czech Republic, running parallel to the main ridge, forms a second ridge (also called inner ridge). At Špindlerův Mlýn the river Elbe divides the Bohemian ridge. The ridges are divided by the rivers Elbe, Mumlava, Bílé Labe, Velka Úpa, Malá Úpa and Jizera, which originates in

8624-419: The specific conditions of the Krkonoše unlike in the Alps or in the tundra, especially in Śnieżne Kotły . They are endemic, which means they only appear here. The alpine vegetation zone , with large rocky deserts, can only be found on the highest peaks (Sněžka, Luční hora , Studniční hora , Kotel and Szrenica ). Only grass, moss and lichen survive here. Especially species-rich are glacial cirques such as

8722-704: The success of the Hanseatic League in the Late Middle Ages , and much trade was carried on its waters. From the early 6th century Slavic tribes (known as the Polabian Slavs ) settled in the areas east of the rivers Elbe and Saale (which had been depopulated since the 4th century). In the 10th century the Ottonian Dynasty (dominant from 919 to 1024) began conquering these lands; a slow process of Germanization ensued, including

8820-622: The twelfth largest in Europe. The basin spans four countries; however, it lies almost entirely just in two of them, Germany (65.5%) and the Czech Republic (33.7%, covering about two thirds of the nation's territory). On its southeastern edges, the Elbe river basin also comprises small parts of Austria (0.6%) and Poland (0.2%). The Elbe catchment area is inhabited by 24.4 million people; its biggest cities are Berlin , Hamburg , Prague , Dresden and Leipzig . First attested in Latin as Albis ,

8918-444: The two nations were reunited, works were begun to improve and restore the original links: the Magdeburg Water Bridge now allows large barges to cross the Elbe without having to enter the river. The often low water levels of the Elbe no longer hinder navigation to Berlin. The Elbe is crossed by many ferries, both passenger and car carrying. In downstream order, these include: Many of these ferries are traditional reaction ferries ,

9016-423: The water. In the 17th century Albrecht von Wallenstein acquired parts of the mountains, and the town of Vrchlabí served as a base for armament of his army. The Thirty Years' War of 1618–1648 sparked further exploration and settlement of the Giant Mountains, as the inhabitants, fleeing from the armies, took refuge in the mountains, sometimes founding new villages. Religious refugees from the Bohemian part fled to

9114-514: Was administratively part of the Wleń castellany . The first traces of human settlements probably appeared in the Duchy of Bohemia near two provincial paths between Bohemia and Poland in the 12th century. The town of Jelenia Góra and probably also Kowary existed nearby already in the 12th century, however, the oldest villages on the foothills on the Polish side were founded in the 13th century. Among

9212-420: Was an influx of Czechs on the Bohemian side of the mountains. Usually these people worked for the government (in contrast to the German inhabitants they spoke both Czech and German, which was required) , but some of them also worked in the tourism industry and managed mountain huts like Labská bouda and Vosecká bouda. Many of these mountain huts had previously been owned by aristocratic landowners, but were given to

9310-537: Was diked off in 1437/38 at Gammer Ort. These hydraulic engineering works were carried out to protect marshlands from inundation, and to improve the water supply of the Port of Hamburg . After the heavy inundation by the North Sea flood of 1962 the western section of the Southern Elbe was separated, becoming the Old Southern Elbe, while the waters of the eastern Southern Elbe now merge into the Köhlbrand, which

9408-470: Was divided among new landowners, most of them Catholics and foreign to the region. These included the families of Harrach , Morzin and de Waggi. Disputes about the borders of each domain soon followed, but were settled between 1790 and 1810. Since the Treaty of Berlin (1742) Silesia had become part of the Kingdom of Prussia . The court decision of 1790, which set the border between the Bohemian dominions and

9506-709: Was possible as support from Busse's Ninth Army could no longer be expected. Instead, starting April 24, Wenck moved his army towards the Forest of Halbe , broke into the Halbe pocket and linked up with the remnants of the Ninth Army , Hellmuth Reymann 's "Army Group Spree", and the Potsdam garrison. Wenck brought his army, remnants of the Ninth Army, and many civilian refugees across the Elbe and into territory occupied by

9604-479: Was translated into German in 1891 that skiing became popular. At the same year the first ski manufacture of Austria-Hungary was established in Jungbuch (Mladé Buky) by master carpenter Franz Baudisch. The first crossing of the main ridge was done in 1892/93. Skiing as a popular sport was mainly brought forward by forest wardens, teachers and industrialists and business people who provided money to create and maintain

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