Decínský Snežník
Encyclopedia
The Děčínský Sněžník is a mountain in the Czech Republic
and, at 722.8 m (2,371.4 ft) above sea level, the highest peak in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains
. The Sněžník is located in the Jílové
municipality, west of Děčín
in the Ústí nad Labem Region
, in the mountainous area of Bohemian Switzerland, close to the border with Germany
.
One of the first historical figures to visit Děčínský Sněžník was Emperor Joseph II of Habsburg
, who climbed the peak in September 1779. The Sněžník was considered an important geodetic
point for triangulation
and cartographers asked the owner of the principality of Děčín, Prince Franz of Thun and Hohenstein
, for permission to establish the peak as a triangulation point. Prince Franz contracted the Dresden
architect, Karl Moritz Haenel, to design a stone observation tower
. The construction of the Neo-gothic
tower at the summit of the Sněžník began in 1863. A nearby fault line a source of building material. The tower was finished in autumn 1864 and was originally used by geodesists, but the view attracted many visitors and in 1865 the local forest administration decided to build a small hostelry for them.
The observation tower at Děčínský Sněžník has remained a popular tourist attraction and lasted, with small modifications, for more than 80 years. After the Second World War the hostelry was abandoned as it had to be pulled down. Likewise the tower deteriorated and, by the 1980s, was in poor condition. Vandals contributed to the degradation of the tower, and its masonry started to collapse. The tower was assigned to the monument fund of the State Monument Preservation, but this formal step did not bring any improvement. In 1992 two million korunas
were collected for the renovation of the tower, carried out by the Děčín Kamason company, and this was followed by the erection of a new inn. Since summer 1992 the tower at Děčínský Sněžník has again been open to the public and the peak is once again a popular tourist destination. It offers a panoramic view over Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland
as far as Dresden to the north and the ridge of the Giant Mountains to the east.
The summit is a stop on the E3 European long distance path. Ascents may be made from the little village of Jílové or from the Saxon
municipality of Rosenthal-Bielatal
to the north.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and, at 722.8 m (2,371.4 ft) above sea level, the highest peak in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains
Elbe Sandstone Mountains
The Elbe Sandstone Mountains, also called the Elbe sandstone highlands is a mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the North Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, with about three-quarters of the area lying on the German side...
. The Sněžník is located in the Jílové
Jílové
Jílové is a town in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It is located in the Jílovský potok valley 8 km west of Děčín.-External links:*...
municipality, west of Děčín
Decín
Děčín is a town in the Ústí nad Labem Region in the north of the Czech Republic. It is the largest town and administrative seat of the Děčín District.-Geography:...
in the Ústí nad Labem Region
Ústí nad Labem Region
Ústí nad Labem Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the north-western part of its historical region of Bohemia...
, in the mountainous area of Bohemian Switzerland, close to the border with Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
One of the first historical figures to visit Děčínský Sněžník was Emperor Joseph II of Habsburg
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
, who climbed the peak in September 1779. The Sněžník was considered an important geodetic
Geodesy
Geodesy , also named geodetics, a branch of earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal...
point for triangulation
Triangulation
In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by measuring angles to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline, rather than measuring distances to the point directly...
and cartographers asked the owner of the principality of Děčín, Prince Franz of Thun and Hohenstein
Franz, Prince of Thun and Hohenstein
Count Franz Anton von Thun und Hohenstein, was an Austro-Hungarian noble and statesman....
, for permission to establish the peak as a triangulation point. Prince Franz contracted the Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
architect, Karl Moritz Haenel, to design a stone observation tower
Observation tower
An observation tower is a structure used to view events from a long distance and to create a full 360 degree range of vision. They are usually at least tall and made from stone, iron, and wood. Many modern towers are also used as TV towers, restaurants, or churches...
. The construction of the Neo-gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
tower at the summit of the Sněžník began in 1863. A nearby fault line a source of building material. The tower was finished in autumn 1864 and was originally used by geodesists, but the view attracted many visitors and in 1865 the local forest administration decided to build a small hostelry for them.
The observation tower at Děčínský Sněžník has remained a popular tourist attraction and lasted, with small modifications, for more than 80 years. After the Second World War the hostelry was abandoned as it had to be pulled down. Likewise the tower deteriorated and, by the 1980s, was in poor condition. Vandals contributed to the degradation of the tower, and its masonry started to collapse. The tower was assigned to the monument fund of the State Monument Preservation, but this formal step did not bring any improvement. In 1992 two million korunas
Czech koruna
The Czech koruna or Czech crown has been the currency of the Czech Republic since 8 February 1993 when, together with its Slovak counterpart, it replaced the Czechoslovak koruna at par....
were collected for the renovation of the tower, carried out by the Děčín Kamason company, and this was followed by the erection of a new inn. Since summer 1992 the tower at Děčínský Sněžník has again been open to the public and the peak is once again a popular tourist destination. It offers a panoramic view over Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland
Saxon Switzerland
Saxon Switzerland is a hilly climbing area and national park around the Elbe valley south-east of Dresden in Saxony, Germany. Together with the Bohemian Switzerland in the Czech Republic it forms the Elbe Sandstone Mountains....
as far as Dresden to the north and the ridge of the Giant Mountains to the east.
The summit is a stop on the E3 European long distance path. Ascents may be made from the little village of Jílové or from the Saxon
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
municipality of Rosenthal-Bielatal
Rosenthal-Bielatal
Rosenthal-Bielatal is a municipality in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in Saxony, Germany....
to the north.