Sněžka

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Mountain on Czech-Polish border

title: "Sněžka" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["mountains-of-poland", "mountains-and-hills-of-the-czech-republic", "czech-republic–poland-border", "international-mountains-of-europe", "mountain-peaks-of-the-sudetes", "highest-points-of-countries", "one-thousanders-of-the-czech-republic"] description: "Mountain on Czech-Polish border" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sněžka" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Mountain on Czech-Polish border ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox mountain"]

Field	Value
name	Sněžka
Śnieżka
other_name
photo	Śnieżka_z_zachodu.jpg
photo_size	250
photo_caption	Sněžka seen from the Sněžka Plateau
elevation_m	1603.3
elevation_ref
prominence_m	1197
prominence_ref
listing	Country high point
map	Czech Republic#Lower Silesian Voivodeship#Poland
map_caption	Sněžka (Czech Republic)
location	Czech Republic, Poland
range	Giant Mountains
coordinates
easiest_route	tourist trails,
cable car from Pec pod Sněžkou
label	Sněžka
parent_peak	Stuiben (line parent)
::

| name = Sněžka Śnieżka | other_name = | photo = Śnieżka_z_zachodu.jpg | photo_size = 250 | photo_caption = Sněžka seen from the Sněžka Plateau | elevation_m = 1603.3 | elevation_ref = | prominence_m = 1197 | prominence_ref = | listing = Country high point | map = Czech Republic#Lower Silesian Voivodeship#Poland | map_caption = Sněžka (Czech Republic) | location = Czech Republic, Poland | range = Giant Mountains | coordinates = | easiest_route = tourist trails, cable car from Pec pod Sněžkou | label = Sněžka | parent_peak = Stuiben (line parent) Sněžka () or Śnieżka (; ) is a mountain on the border between the Czech Republic and Poland, the most prominent point of the Silesian Ridge in the Giant Mountains. At 1603.3 m, its summit is the highest point in the Czech Republic, in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in the Giant Mountains and in the entire Sudetes.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Schneekoppe_Observatorium_1900.jpg" caption="Sněžka in 1900"] ::

Sněžka was one of the first European mountains visited by many tourists. This was mainly due to the relatively minor technical difficulties of the ascent and the fact that since the sixteenth century, many resort visitors flocked to the nearby Bad Warmbrunn (today: Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój) and the highly visible Sněžka, visually dominant over all Giant Mountains was for them an important attraction.

The first historical account of an ascent to the peak is in 1456, by an unknown Venetian merchant searching for precious stones. The first settlements on the mountain soon appeared, being primarily mining communities, tapping into its deposits of copper, iron and arsenic. The mining shafts, totalling 1.5 km in length, remain to this day.

The first recorded German name was Riseberg ("giant mountain", cf. Riesengebirge, "Giant Mountains"), mentioned by Georg Agricola in 1546. Fifteen years later the name Riesenberg appears on Martin Helwig's map of Silesia. The German name later changed to Riesenkoppe ("giant top") and finally to Schneekoppe ("snow top", "snowy head"). Based on paintings of Caspar David Friedrich and of novels from Theodor Fontane the Schneekoppe region became a center of the first German tourism movement.

In Czech, the mountain was initially called Pahrbek Sněžný ("snow hill"); later Sněžka, with the eventual name Sněžovka, meaning "snowy" or "snow-covered", which was adopted in 1823. An older Polish name for the mountain was Góra Olbrzymia, meaning "giant mountain".

The first building on the mountaintop was the Chapel of Saint Lawrence (Laurentiuskapelle), built c. 1665–1681 by the Silesian noble Schaffgotsch family to give thanks to God and shelter to travellers as it also served as an inn for a brief period of time. The territory including the mines were the property of the Schaffgotsch family until 1945. The so-called Prussian hut (Preußische Baude) was built on the Silesian (now Polish) side in 1850, followed by the Bohemian hut (Česká bouda) on the Bohemian (now Czech) side in 1868, both built with the purpose of providing lodging. The Prussian hut was rebuilt twice after fires (1857 and 1862), and the (after 1945) "Polish hut" was finally demolished in 1967. The Bohemian hut fell into disrepair after 1990 and was demolished in 2004.

A wooden weather station was built on the mountaintop in c. 1900, being the only weather station in Central Europe remaining intact after World War II. It was demolished in the 1980s. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Panorama-Sniezka-1.jpg" caption="View from the summit of Sněžka"] ::

Today

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Schronisko_Sniezka.JPG" caption="The Polish meteo observatory"] ::

One side of the mountain is in the Czech Republic; the other belongs since 1945 to Poland. Both sides of the border have lost their historic German-speaking populations in the wake of World War II. The area is very popular in summer with tourists from the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany, who enjoy hiking in the alpine environment unique to this area.

On the Polish side a disc-shaped observatory with a weather station and restaurant was built in 1974, and the St. Lawrence Chapel. On the Czech side are a post office, and a chairlift station, connecting the peak with the town of Pec pod Sněžkou at the base of the mountain.

Although the mountain is the highest natural peak in the Czech Republic, the actual highest point is the top of the television transmitter on Praděd, reaching 1,652 metres (1,491+162 m). If the Polish observatory is taken into account, Sněžka peaks at 1,620 metres.

In 2004 a new post office and observation platform replaced an old post office and the remains of the Bohemian hut, which had been closed since the 1980s.

In March 2009 the Polish observatory suffered serious damage to the upper disc as a result of extreme weather and structural failure. The upper disc's floor broke, though a fast response from the Technical University of Wrocław saved the remaining disc from taking any further damage. The restaurant and meteo offices were reopened soon after the construction team had finished clearing the debris and securing what was left of the observatory. After detailed inspection it was determined that no further damage should occur and the building was restored to its previous state. The upper disc was restored to its 1974 design (with contemporary improvements), skipping alterations made in 1980s and 1990s which were suspected to contribute to the structural failure of March 2009.

The old chairlift to the top of Sněžka was replaced by a new cable car system. Since February 2014, the four-person cabins in two sections have carried 250 visitors per hour from Pec pod Sněžkou.

There are many marked tourist routes from the Polish side to the summit, mainly from the town of Karpacz. It is possible to take a chairlift from Karpacz to Kopa (1377 m a.s.l.) which significantly shortens the way to the summit.

Sněžka belongs to the Crown of Europe, Crown of Polish Mountains and Crown of Sudetes.

Climate

Due to high altitude the climate is maritime polar (Köppen: ET) not far from a continental subpolar climate (Dfc). The difference should be at least 6 °C lower on annual average compared to the weather station in the plains. | width = 100% | metric first = y | single line = y | location = Sněžka: 1603 m(1991-2020 normals, extremes 1951-present) | Jan record high C = 10.5 | Feb record high C = 13.5 | Mar record high C = 12.1 | Apr record high C = 18.2 | May record high C = 21.2 | Jun record high C = 22.6 | Jul record high C = 24.6 | Aug record high C = 24.3 | Sep record high C = 21.3 | Oct record high C = 19.9 | Nov record high C = 17.1 | Dec record high C = 12.0 | year record high C = 24.6 | Jan avg record high C = 4.4 | Feb avg record high C = 4.5 | Mar avg record high C = 6.0 | Apr avg record high C = 10.9 | May avg record high C = 15.4 | Jun avg record high C = 18.8 | Jul avg record high C = 20.2 | Aug avg record high C = 20.0 | Sep avg record high C = 15.4 | Oct avg record high C = 12.8 | Nov avg record high C = 9.4 | Dec avg record high C = 6.0 |year avg record high C = 21.8 | Jan high C = -3.3 | Feb high C = -3.7 | Mar high C = -1.9 | Apr high C = 2.7 | May high C = 7.4 | Jun high C = 10.7 | Jul high C = 12.7 | Aug high C = 12.8 | Sep high C = 8.3 | Oct high C = 4.6 | Nov high C = 1.0 | Dec high C = -2.2 | year high C = 4.1 | Jan mean C = -5.9 | Feb mean C = -6.2 | Mar mean C = -4.3 | Apr mean C = 0.0 | May mean C = 4.4 | Jun mean C = 7.7 | Jul mean C = 9.8 | Aug mean C = 9.9 | Sep mean C = 5.8 | Oct mean C = 2.1 | Nov mean C = -1.6 | Dec mean C = -4.7 | year mean C = 1.4 | Jan low C = -8.3 | Feb low C = -8.5 | Mar low C = -6.5 | Apr low C = -2.2 | May low C = 2.1 | Jun low C = 5.4 | Jul low C = 7.5 | Aug low C = 7.8 | Sep low C = 3.8 | Oct low C = -0.1 | Nov low C = -3.9 | Dec low C = -7.1 | year low C = -0.8 | Jan avg record low C = -16.7 | Feb avg record low C = -16.5 | Mar avg record low C = -13.5 | Apr avg record low C = -10.1 | May avg record low C = -4.7 | Jun avg record low C = -1.0 | Jul avg record low C = 1.4 | Aug avg record low C = 1.7 | Sep avg record low C = -2.2 | Oct avg record low C = -7.0 | Nov avg record low C = -11.1 | Dec avg record low C = -14.7 |year avg record low C = -19.3 | Jan record low C = -32.1 | Feb record low C = -33.9 | Mar record low C = -25.5 | Apr record low C = -15.5 | May record low C = -13.1 | Jun record low C = -7.1 | Jul record low C = -2.2 | Aug record low C = -2.6 | Sep record low C = -5.8 | Oct record low C = -14.7 | Nov record low C = -20.3 | Dec record low C = -24.9 | year record low C = -33.9 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 107.3 | Feb precipitation mm = 88.5 | Mar precipitation mm = 87.7 | Apr precipitation mm = 51.1 | May precipitation mm = 77.5 | Jun precipitation mm = 98.1 | Jul precipitation mm = 120.6 | Aug precipitation mm = 95.4 | Sep precipitation mm = 87.3 | Oct precipitation mm = 79.9 | Nov precipitation mm = 83.4 | Dec precipitation mm = 113.8 | year precipitation mm = 1090.6 | Jan snow depth cm = 78.8 | Feb snow depth cm = 99.7 | Mar snow depth cm = 109.7 | Apr snow depth cm = 76.0 | May snow depth cm = 25.8 | Jun snow depth cm = 0.8 | Jul snow depth cm = 0.0 | Aug snow depth cm = 0.0 | Sep snow depth cm = 1.2 | Oct snow depth cm = 7.3 | Nov snow depth cm = 16.9 | Dec snow depth cm = 43.1 | year snow depth cm = | unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm | Jan precipitation days = 22.57 | Feb precipitation days = 20.50 | Mar precipitation days = 22.00 | Apr precipitation days = 17.23 | May precipitation days = 19.10 | Jun precipitation days = 18.67 | Jul precipitation days = 18.77 | Aug precipitation days = 16.80 | Sep precipitation days = 17.97 | Oct precipitation days = 21.37 | Nov precipitation days = 22.03 | Dec precipitation days = 23.03 | year precipitation days = 240.03 | unit snow days = 0 cm | Jan snow days = 31.0 | Feb snow days = 28.3 | Mar snow days = 31.0 | Apr snow days = 28.3 | May snow days = 10.0 | Jun snow days = 0.4 | Jul snow days = 0.0 | Aug snow days = 0.0 | Sep snow days = 1.1 | Oct snow days = 8.2 | Nov snow days = 18.7 | Dec snow days = 29.3 | year snow days = 186.3 | Jan humidity = 84.5 | Feb humidity = 86.1 | Mar humidity = 88.1 | Apr humidity = 85.7 | May humidity = 86.8 | Jun humidity = 87.6 | Jul humidity = 86.6 | Aug humidity = 85.8 | Sep humidity = 89.9 | Oct humidity = 87.6 | Nov humidity = 86.5 | Dec humidity = 84.6 | year humidity = 86.6 | Jan sun = 72.2 | Feb sun = 80.1 | Mar sun = 103.3 | Apr sun = 157.8 | May sun = 177.8 | Jun sun = 172.2 | Jul sun = 187.9 | Aug sun = 190.0 | Sep sun = 122.3 | Oct sun = 99.6 | Nov sun = 67.9 | Dec sun = 63.8 | year sun = 1494.8 | Jan dew point C = -9 | Feb dew point C = -9 | Mar dew point C = -7 | Apr dew point C = -2 | May dew point C = 2 | Jun dew point C = 6 | Jul dew point C = 8 | Aug dew point C = 7 | Sep dew point C = 4 | Oct dew point C = -1 | Nov dew point C = -4 | Dec dew point C = -8 |source 1 = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211203115527/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TSR_AVE | archive-date = 3 December 2021 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TSR_AVE | title = Średnia dobowa temperatura powietrza | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 22 January 2022}} | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115043924/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TMIN_AVE | archive-date = 15 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TMIN_AVE | title = Średnia minimalna temperatura powietrza | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 22 January 2022}} | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115044916/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TMAX_AVE | archive-date = 15 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/TMAX_AVE | title = Średnia maksymalna temperatura powietrza | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 22 January 2022}} | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220109045820/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/OPAD_SUMA | archive-date = 9 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/OPAD_SUMA | title = Miesięczna suma opadu | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 22 January 2022}} | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115051112/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/OPAD_01 | archive-date = 15 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/OPAD_01 | title = Liczba dni z opadem = 0,1 mm | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 22 January 2022}} | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115054936/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/SNIEG_SR_GRUB | archive-date = 15 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/SNIEG_SR_GRUB | title = Średnia grubość pokrywy śnieżnej | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 22 January 2022}} | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220121044246/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/SNIEG_0 | archive-date = 21 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/SNIEG_0 | title = Liczba dni z pokrywą śnieżna 0 cm | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 22 January 2022}} | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115055331/https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/USL | archive-date = 15 January 2022 | url = https://klimat.imgw.pl/pl/climate-normals/USL | title = Średnia suma usłonecznienia (h) | work = Normy klimatyczne 1991-2020 | publisher = Institute of Meteorology and Water Management | language = pl | access-date = 22 January 2022}} |source 2 = Meteomodel.pl (records, relative humidity 1991–2020),{{cite web | url = https://meteomodel.pl/dane/srednie-miesieczne/?imgwid=350150510&par=tmax&max_empty=3 | title = ŚNIEŻKA Absolutna temperatura maksymalna | publisher = Meteomodel.pl | language = pl | access-date = 22 January 2022 | archive-date = 23 January 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220123055942/https://meteomodel.pl/dane/srednie-miesieczne/?imgwid=350150510&par=tmax&max_empty=3 | url-status = live | url = https://meteomodel.pl/dane/srednie-miesieczne/?imgwid=350150510&par=tmin&max_empty=3 | title = ŚNIEŻKA Absolutna temperatura minimalna | publisher = Meteomodel.pl | language = pl | access-date = 22 January 2022 | archive-date = 23 January 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220123055947/https://meteomodel.pl/dane/srednie-miesieczne/?imgwid=350150510&par=tmin&max_empty=3 | url-status = live | url = https://meteomodel.pl/dane/srednie-miesieczne/?imgwid=350150510&par=rh&max_empty=3 | title = ŚNIEŻKA Średnia wilgotność | publisher = Meteomodel.pl | language = pl | access-date = 22 January 2022 | archive-date = 23 January 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220123055943/https://meteomodel.pl/dane/srednie-miesieczne/?imgwid=350150510&par=rh&max_empty=3 | url-status = live |url = https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/@6285414/climate |title = Climate & Weather Averages in Śnieżka |publisher = Time and Date |access-date = 24 July 2022 |archive-date = 24 July 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220724133917/https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/@6285414/climate |url-status = live

| source = NOAA{{Cite FTP | url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_VI/PL/12510.TXT | server = NOAA | title = Sněžka (12510) – WMO Weather Station | access-date = 31 December 2018 | table=Ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Śnieżka.tab | title=Sněžka temperature

Gallery

Schneekoppe 1900.jpg|Sněžka, a photochrom print from ca. 1900 Karkonosze w chmurach - Riesengebrige in Wolken (2).jpg|Sněžka above the clouds Sněžka-od-Luční-boudy2009b.jpg|Panorama of Sněžka Schronisko na Śnieżce i kaplica św. Wawrzyńca.JPG|St. Lawrence's Chapel built in 1665–1681 Poland, Sniezka mountain - hostel.jpg|Observatory on the mountain top Sněžka, nová poštovna.jpg|Czech post office building atop Sněžka Sněžka-stanice-lanovky-a-výhled2009.jpg|Chairlift station atop Sněžka 20160430 Śnieżka 5404.jpg|Mountain trail Sněžka-od-Černé-boudy2010b.jpg|View of the mountain in winter Sniezka_mount.jpg|alt=Sniezka West View - 2021|West view

References

Notes

References

link. (1 July 2017 Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2012-10-27.)
the highest ridge in the 'Giant Mountains' rises to a height of 1,603.30 metres at the peak of 'Snowy Head', p.39 in [[Norman Davies]], Roger Moorhouse: ''[[Microcosm: Portrait of a Central European City]]'', Jonathan Cape, 2002 {{ISBN. link. (9 July 2011)
[http://www.waltersperling.de/geonamen/index_wb.htm Geographische Namen in den Böhmischen Ländern] {{Webarchive. link. (14 May 2008 – see entry ''Sněžka'')
[http://www.horydoly.cz/international/new-cable-car-on-snezka-giant-mountains-czech-republic.html New cable car on Sněžka, Giant Mountains, Czech Republic] {{Webarchive. link. (22 September 2021 Retrieved 2014-09-14')
Peterson, Adam. (2016-09-20). "English: Köppen climate types of the Czech Republic".
Janušková, Miriam. (2016-09-14). "Kontinentalita klimatu ve vztahu k radiačním a cirkulačním faktorům".
(2009-04-01). "Application of relative drought indices in assessing climate-change impacts on drought conditions in Czechia". Theoretical and Applied Climatology.

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