The highest range of the Sudety? Karkonosze belonged to the earliest explored mountains in Europe. The begining of tourism in the Sudety considered Cieplice spa created by the end of the 13th century, when increased interest in the region especially the surroundings of Cieplice. It is assumed that the second half of the 17th century gave rise to migrations tourist attractions to the group then joined today many well-known places: waterfalls Szklarka [ foto ] and Kamieńczyk [ foto ], Śnieżne Kotły [ foto ], Mały [ foto ] i Wielki Staw, rocks Pielgrzymy, Twarożnik [ foto ] oraz Słonecznik [ foto ].
In 18th century the group also joined the celebrated attractions:
Śnieżnik, Międzygórze, Szczeliniec Wielki [ foto ], Mount Ślęża, rock city Adrspasske rocks.

The current shelter took its origin from along the popular mountain routes or watchtowers pastors house turned into an rest area for hikers. In this way later became a popular hostel: Samotnia [ foto ], Strzecha Akademicka, Na Hali Szrenickiej, Pod Łabskim Szczytem, Lucni Bouda, Na Śnieżniku [ foto ] and many others. In the end of the 17th century served as a hostel accomodation, and some for example in the shack Hampl and some of them have a visitors book when the tourist can enter.
Founded in the 19th century mountain society build tourist infrastructure. That?s how the mountain routes, marked trails,marked out ski and sled routes, built a view points, put up a plaque and even planted exotic plants. For the significant investments of mountain society was:shelter on Stogu Izerskim (Mountain Izerskie) and Andrzejówka (Mountain Suche), a meteorological observatory on the first I class on Śnieżka [ foto ], the route – Droga Jubileuszowa (to Śnieżka) and the Karkonosze Museum in Jelenia Góra.

In different periods of history Sudety visited famous Poles were here including: Polish King Jan Kazimierz, Queen Marysieńka Sobieska, Hugo Kołłątaj, Józef Wybicki, Fryderyk Chopin,
Adam Czartoryski, Zygmunt Krasiński, Wincenty Pol.

Significiant impact on regional development and tourism were historical events that mention in chronological order:
– Beginning of the creation of Ceplice spa tourism in the Sudety – learning about the spa area (13th century)
– 1675 ? stroke of lightning burns Chojnik Castle – The ruins are an interesting tourist attraction
– 1681 – built the chapel of St. Lawrence on Śnieżka – founded by Count Christoph Leopold von Schaffgotsch, and was dedicated by Abbot Bernard Rose from Krzeszów
– In 1684 the bishop of Hradec Kralove dedicated source of the Łaba ? which has become a destination for many pilgrims and tourists
– In 1813, Franz Pabel – Karlovo mayor to give the nominations to guide Szczelińcu is Europe’s first mountain guide
– 1817 ? Europe?s first guide organization ? Corps Mountains Guides and porter litter and Storage ? created by the governor of Jelenia Góra
– 1880 year – formed the Mountain Section of the Society for the Giant Mountains Czech Republic (later independent Austrian Society Karkonosze-1883),also in the same year formed the Society Karkonosze in Jelenia Gora, these events give rise to mass tourism in the Sudety
– 1881 – formation of the Society of Kłodzko
– 1884 – founded the German Society for Mountain Jested and Izerskie Mountains (Liberec)

Guiding organizations which were created at the initiative of local people have developed to a large extent, tourism infrastructure, and here are some of the few facts:

– 1806 – The first map of the Sudety – the scale of 1:100.000
– Establishment of the observation towers on mountaintops: Wielka Sowa (1886), Śnieżnik (1899) [ foto ], Jested near Liberca (1907), Pradziad in Wysokim Jesionku (1910), (what’s interesting on Śnieżka the tower wasn?t erected),
– 19th / 20th century – was built a dozen ski jump and sleighs runs
– in the 1920s ? in Szklarska Poreba created the world’s most bobsleigh track – a model for facilities in Lake Placid in Japan (he had to be part of a sports center is not built on a mountain Przedział). Its worth mentionig that Szklarska Poręba (then belongig to Germany ) was an important center of tourism exceeded only by places such as Wiesbaden, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and Baden-Baden.

Written by : Jarek
Source: article dr Michała Woźniaka, WiŻ 9 October 2010 (909)