Fichtelberg
Encyclopedia
The Fichtelberg (ˈfɪçtəlbɛɐ̯k) is a mountain
with two main peaks in the middle of the Ore Mountains
(German: Erzgebirge; Czech: Krušné hory) in Saxony
, eastern Germany near the Czech
border. At 1214.6 m (3,984.9 ft) above sea level, the Fichtelberg is the highest mountain in Saxony, the second highest in the Ore Mountains and used to be the highest mountain in East Germany
. Its lower peak is 1206 m (3,956.7 ft) high.
The Fichtelberg rises above the holiday and winter sports resort of Oberwiesenthal
, both connected by the Fichtelberg Cable Car. This cable car
was opened in 1924, the cable is 1,175 meters long with a height difference of 305 meters. It takes six minutes to travel from the valley to the top of the mountain. Since the lower half of the mountain has large car parks, while parking near the top is limited, visitors and hikers are is strongly advised to catch the bus or cable car.
On the summit of the mountain stands the Fichtelberghaus (a restaurant, cafeteria-style restaurant and a hotel) with its 31-meter-tall viewing tower. The newer part of the building was opened in 1999, as the remains of the original Fichtelberghaus (built in 1888, burnt down on 25 February 1963) was torn down in 1967.
On clear days, one can see to the mountains in the northern Czech Republic (the České středohoří
, Lusatian Mountains
, Jizera Mountains
or Krkonoše) and to the Bohemian Forest
to the south. The area around Fichtelberg and the neighbouring Klínovec
mountain are famous for winter sport facilities, providing many ski lifts and cross-country ski tracks.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
with two main peaks in the middle of the Ore Mountains
Ore Mountains
The Ore Mountains in Central Europe have formed a natural border between Saxony and Bohemia for many centuries. Today, the border between Germany and the Czech Republic runs just north of the main crest of the mountain range...
(German: Erzgebirge; Czech: Krušné hory) in Saxony
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....
, eastern Germany near the Czech
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....
border. At 1214.6 m (3,984.9 ft) above sea level, the Fichtelberg is the highest mountain in Saxony, the second highest in the Ore Mountains and used to be the highest mountain in East Germany
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
. Its lower peak is 1206 m (3,956.7 ft) high.
The Fichtelberg rises above the holiday and winter sports resort of Oberwiesenthal
Oberwiesenthal
Oberwiesenthal is a town and a ski resort in the district of Erzgebirgskreis in Saxony in Germany. It is situated in the Erzgebirge mountains, on the border with the Czech Republic, 19 km south of Annaberg-Buchholz, and 23 km northeast of Karlovy Vary. At , it is the highest town in Germany...
, both connected by the Fichtelberg Cable Car. This cable car
Cable car
A cable car is any of a variety of transportation systems relying on cables to pull vehicles along or lower them at a steady rate, or a vehicle on these systems.-Aerial lift:Aerial lifts where the vehicle is suspended in the air from a cable:...
was opened in 1924, the cable is 1,175 meters long with a height difference of 305 meters. It takes six minutes to travel from the valley to the top of the mountain. Since the lower half of the mountain has large car parks, while parking near the top is limited, visitors and hikers are is strongly advised to catch the bus or cable car.
On the summit of the mountain stands the Fichtelberghaus (a restaurant, cafeteria-style restaurant and a hotel) with its 31-meter-tall viewing tower. The newer part of the building was opened in 1999, as the remains of the original Fichtelberghaus (built in 1888, burnt down on 25 February 1963) was torn down in 1967.
On clear days, one can see to the mountains in the northern Czech Republic (the České středohoří
Ceské Stredohorí
České středohoří or Central Bohemian Uplands is a mountain range located in northern Bohemia, Czech Republic. The range is about 80 km long, spanning from Česká Lípa to Bílina and from Litoměřice to Děčín , intersected by the river Elbe.The name středohoří can be roughly translated into English...
, Lusatian Mountains
Lusatian Mountains
The Lusatian Mountains are a mountain range of the Western Sudetes, located on the southeastern border of Germany with the Czech Republic east of the Elbe river, a continuation of the Ore Mountains range west of the Elbe valley...
, Jizera Mountains
Jizera Mountains
Jizera Mountains , or Izera Mountains, are part of the Western Sudetes on the border between the Czech Republic and Poland. The major part is formed from granite, with some areas formed from basalt. The mountains got their name from the Jizera River, which rises at the southern base of Smrk...
or Krkonoše) and to the Bohemian Forest
Bohemian Forest
The Bohemian Forest, also known in Czech as Šumava , is a low mountain range in Central Europe. Geographically, the mountains extend from South Bohemia in the Czech Republic to Austria and Bavaria in Germany...
to the south. The area around Fichtelberg and the neighbouring Klínovec
Klínovec
Klínovec is the highest peak of the Ore Mountains, located in the Czech Republic's part of the mountains at . There is an important TV broadcasting tower on the top of the mountain.- Location :...
mountain are famous for winter sport facilities, providing many ski lifts and cross-country ski tracks.
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