| Giant Mountains National Park | |
|---|---|
| Karkonoski Park Narodowy | |
.jpg) View from Szrenica towards the West  | |
  Location in Poland | |
| Location | Lower Silesian Voivodeship |
| Nearest city | Karpacz,Jelenia Góra |
| Area | 55.76 km2 (21.53 sq mi) |
| Established | 1959 |
| Governing body | Ministry of the Environment |
| Website | Official website |
| Official name | Subalpine peatbogs in Giant Mountains |
| Designated | 29 October 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1566[1] |
Giant Mountains National Park (Polish:Karkonoski Park Narodowy) is aNational Park in theGiant Mountains in theSudetes in southwesternPoland, along the border with theCzech Republic.[2]
Thenational park is located inLower Silesian Voivodeship, in the highest part of the Sudetes. It was created in 1959, covering an area of 55.10 km2. Today it is slightly larger at 55.76 km2 (21.53 sq mi), of which 17.18 km2 is strictly protected. The majority of the park area, around 33.80 km2, consists of forests. In 1992Karkonosze National Park, together with the neighbouring CzechKrkonoše National Park, became part of theKrkonoše/Karkonosze Transboundary Biosphere Reserve underUNESCO’sMan and the Biosphere Programme.[3] Also, 40 hectares of peat bogs were designated aRamsar international wetland site.
The Giant Mountains are the highest range of the much broaderSudetes mountains stretching horizontally from south-western Poland along the northern border of the Czech Republic to eastern Germany. Its highest peak isŚnieżka at 1,602 metres (5,256 ft) abovesea level, forming a triangle with (similarly sounding)Śnieżnik, 1,424 metres (4,672 ft),[4] as well as Ślęża peak, further apart. They are connected by a red hiking trail only for qualified tourists.[5] The characteristic features of its landscape are the glacial kettles with boulders and ponds hidden inside. Weathered granite rocks shaped like mushrooms or maces can also be found on the mountainsides.
The Giant Mountains are situated on the division of the Europeanwater system between the basins of two major rivers – theElbe and theOder – which means that it also separates the basins of theBaltic Sea andNorth Sea. Many of the local streams come down the hills, creating waterfalls, the largest of which in the Polish part of the mountains (300 m) is created by the Łomniczka stream.
There are about 100 various birds living in the park, the most numerous of animal species living there. In the higher parts of the mountains there are fewer species of them; in the lower levels there are 100 varieties, but in the peaks there are not more than 10. The park has four species offish, six species ofamphibians, and five species ofreptiles. The park's attraction aremouflons, brought here at the beginning of the 20th century.
Karkonosze National Park is visited by more than 1.5 million tourists yearly. They can use 112 kilometres of walking paths, 10 ski lifts and 12 guest houses. The park has its headquarters in the town ofJelenia Góra.
50°46′N15°39′E / 50.767°N 15.650°E /50.767; 15.650
| International | |
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| National | |