Moravian-Silesian Beskids
Encyclopedia
The Moravian-Silesian Beskids (Czech
: , Slovak
: Moravsko-sliezske Beskydy) is a mountain range in the Czech Republic
with a small part reaching to Slovakia
. It lies on the historical division between Moravia
and Silesia
, hence the name. It's part of the Western Beskids
, which is in turn part of the Outer Western Carpathians.
The mountains were created during the Alpine Orogeny
in the Tertiary
. Geologically, they consist mainly of flysch
deposites. In the north they steeply rise nearly over a rather flat landscape, in the south they slowly merge with the Javorníky. In the south-west they are separated from the Vsetínské vrchy by the Rožnovská Bečva
valley, in the north-east the Jablunkov Pass
separates them from the Silesian Beskids
.
The highest point is Lysá hora
mountain at , which is one of the rainiest places in the Czech Republic with around of precipitation a year. Many legends are bound to Radhošť
Mountain, 1129 m (3,704.1 ft), which is one of the most visited places in the mountains together with the nearby Pustevny resort.
Smrk
with a height of 1276 m (4,186 ft) is the second highest summit of the range. Its Northern slope steeply rises from the surrounding lowlands and is separated from the rest of the mountains by the deep Ostravice River
(in the East) and Čeladenka
(in the West) river valleys; in the South it merges in the lower Zadní hory (i.e. Rear mountains) area.
The Moravian-Silesian Beskids create the largest part of the Beskydy Landscape Protected Area ( or for short). The mountains are 80% forested, though mainly by plantations of spruce
which were in some parts severely damaged by emissions from the Ostrava
industrial region. Originally, the mountains were covered by mixed forest with dominant beech
which are preserved in many places. Recently, permanent occurrence of all three large Central European carnivors – lynx
, bear
and wolf
– have been confirmed in the area.
There are many popular holiday resorts for both winter and summer activities, with centers in the towns under the mountains (Frýdlant nad Ostravicí, Frenštát pod Radhoštěm
, Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
) and also in smaller resorts, hamlets and chalets throughout the mountains, especially on the ridges.
Parts of two euroregion
s, the Beskydy/Beskidy and Těšínské Slezsko/Śląsk Cieszyński
, reach into the Moravian-Silesian Beskids.
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
: , Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
: Moravsko-sliezske Beskydy) is a mountain range in the Czech Republic
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....
with a small part reaching to Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. It lies on the historical division between Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
and Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, hence the name. It's part of the Western Beskids
Western Beskids
The Western Beskids are a set of mountain ranges spanning the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland....
, which is in turn part of the Outer Western Carpathians.
The mountains were created during the Alpine Orogeny
Alpine orogeny
The Alpine orogeny is an orogenic phase in the Late Mesozoic and Tertiary that formed the mountain ranges of the Alpide belt...
in the Tertiary
Tertiary
The Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
. Geologically, they consist mainly of flysch
Flysch
Flysch is a sequence of sedimentary rocks that is deposited in a deep marine facies in the foreland basin of a developing orogen. Flysch is typically deposited during an early stage of the orogenesis. When the orogen evolves the foreland basin becomes shallower and molasse is deposited on top of...
deposites. In the north they steeply rise nearly over a rather flat landscape, in the south they slowly merge with the Javorníky. In the south-west they are separated from the Vsetínské vrchy by the Rožnovská Bečva
Becva
The Bečva is a river in the Czech Republic. It is a left tributary of the river Morava. The Bečva is created by two source streams, the Northern Rožnovská Bečva and the Southern Vsetínská Bečva The Bečva is a river in the Czech Republic. It is a left tributary of the river Morava. The Bečva is...
valley, in the north-east the Jablunkov Pass
Jablunkov Pass
Jablunkov Pass is a mountain pass in the Beskids, located in the elevation of 553 m above sea level, in the Czech Republic, near the border with Poland and Slovakia....
separates them from the Silesian Beskids
Silesian Beskids
Silesian Beskids is one of the Beskids mountain ranges in Outer Western Carpathians in southern Silesian Voivodeship, Poland and the eastern Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic.Most of the range lies in Poland...
.
The highest point is Lysá hora
Lysá hora
Lysá hora is the highest mountain of the Moravian-Silesian Beskids range in the Czech Republic and also of Cieszyn Silesia. It is considered the rainiest place of the country with an annual precipitation over .-Etymology:...
mountain at , which is one of the rainiest places in the Czech Republic with around of precipitation a year. Many legends are bound to Radhošť
Radhošt
The Radhošť is a mountain in the Czech Republic 1129 meters above sea level with a view of the Beskydy mountains. A chapel and a sculpture of Saints Cyril and Methodius are located on the summit. The mountain is a popular destination for religious pilgrimages...
Mountain, 1129 m (3,704.1 ft), which is one of the most visited places in the mountains together with the nearby Pustevny resort.
Smrk
Smrk (Moravian-Silesian Beskids)
Smrk is a massif and a mountain in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids range in the Czech Republic. With a height of it is the second highest summit of the range after Lysá hora...
with a height of 1276 m (4,186 ft) is the second highest summit of the range. Its Northern slope steeply rises from the surrounding lowlands and is separated from the rest of the mountains by the deep Ostravice River
Ostravice River
Ostravice is a river in Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. It originates in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids and then flows through Ostravice, Frýdlant nad Ostravicí, Frýdek-Místek and Paskov to Ostrava where it enters the Oder as its right tributary...
(in the East) and Čeladenka
Celadenka
Čeladenka is a small river in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic, with the source in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids, flowing through the village of Čeladná and entering the Ostravice at Frýdlant nad Ostravicí....
(in the West) river valleys; in the South it merges in the lower Zadní hory (i.e. Rear mountains) area.
The Moravian-Silesian Beskids create the largest part of the Beskydy Landscape Protected Area ( or for short). The mountains are 80% forested, though mainly by plantations of spruce
Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
which were in some parts severely damaged by emissions from the Ostrava
Ostrava
Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
industrial region. Originally, the mountains were covered by mixed forest with dominant beech
European Beech
Fagus sylvatica, the European Beech or Common Beech, is a deciduous tree belonging to the beech family Fagaceae.-Natural range:...
which are preserved in many places. Recently, permanent occurrence of all three large Central European carnivors – lynx
Eurasian Lynx
The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. It is also known as the European lynx, common lynx, the northern lynx, and the Siberian or Russian lynx...
, bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
and wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
– have been confirmed in the area.
Frenštát pod Radhoštem
Frenštát pod Radhoštěm is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic.It lies under the Moravian-Silesian Beskids Range, in a region rich in history and therefore the town is an important holiday resort in both summer and winter....
, Rožnov pod Radhoštěm
Rožnov pod Radhoštem
Rožnov pod Radhoštěm is a town in Zlín Region, Czech Republic.-People:* Gustav Brom, lived here* Martina Hingis, lived here as a child* Naphtali Keller, lived and died here* Emil Zátopek, buried here-See also:* Romanian diaspora, Romanian exonyms...
) and also in smaller resorts, hamlets and chalets throughout the mountains, especially on the ridges.
Parts of two euroregion
Euroregion
In European politics, the term Euroregion usually refers to a transnational co-operation structure between two contiguous territories located in different European countries. Euroregions represent a specific type of cross-border region.-Scope:...
s, the Beskydy/Beskidy and Těšínské Slezsko/Śląsk Cieszyński
Euroregion Cieszyn Silesia
Euroregion Cieszyn Silesia is one of the euroregions between Poland and Czech Republic. It has area of about 1,400 km2 and more than 680,000 inhabitants...
, reach into the Moravian-Silesian Beskids.