Morskie Oko
Encyclopedia
Morskie Oko is the largest and fourth deepest lake
in the Tatra Mountains
. It is located deep within the Tatra National Park, Poland
, in the Rybi Potok Valley, at the base of the Mięguszowiecki Summits, in a region situated within the Lesser Poland Voivodeship
.
The peaks that surround the lake rise about 1,000 meters above its surface; one of them is Rysy
(2,499 meters), the highest peak in the Polish Tatras.
Beside Mięguszowiecki Summits (including Mięguszowiecki Szczyt Wielki, 2,438 meters), farther away and slightly to the left, is the distinctive, slender Mnich (“Monk,” 2,068 meters).
Many Swiss Pine
s also grow around the lake.
In the past, Morskie Oko was called "Rybie Jezioro" ("Fish Lake") due to its natural stock of fish, which are uncommon in Tatra lakes and ponds. In the clear depths of the water, one can easily notice
trout
- so called "famine" trout - that live in the lake.
The name "Morskie Oko" translates to "Eye of the Sea"; this is derived from an old legend, according to which the lake was connected to the sea via an underground passage.
The hut of the Polish Tourist Country-Lovers' Society (PTTK
) stands on the moraine
that closes the lake from the north. The hut is situated 1,405 meters above sea level and belongs to the oldest Tatra chalet
s. The hut is named after Stanisław Staszic, who explored the lake in 1805. It is a point of departure for hikes to Rysy and Szpiglasowa Przełęcz. Nearby is the Stare Schronisko ("Old Shelter"), originally a coachhouse. Both buildings have been granted historical status.
Morskie Oko is one of the most popular destinations in the Tatras, often receiving over 50,000 visitors during the vacation season. It is reached by foot in about two hours from the nearest road that allows motorized access. Many other tourists opt to take the journey by horse-drawn cart, a large number of which are operated by the local Górale
inhabitants. In winter, a short section of the journey is in an avalanche
danger zone, and the area can remain cold and rainy even in summer. In the advent of its popularity, visitors have been forbidden from swimming in the lake or feeding the trout.
In 1824, during Partitions of Poland
, Morskie Oko became private property for the time being, when Zakopane
estate, including Dolina Rybiego Potoku, were purchased from the Austrian authorities by Emanuel Homolacs. At the end of the nineteenth century, a boundary dispute arose between Galicia and Hungary
over property rights to the lake and adjoining area (the so-called "Morskie Oko dispute"). The Court of Conciliation in Graz
ruled in favor of the Polish side. The decision is credited to Oswald Balzer
, who represented the Galicia government.
Morskie Oko was "rediscovered" for tourism
by Dr. Tytus Chałubiński in the mid nineteenth century; the first shelter was built there in 1836 but burned down in 1865. A second shelter, built in 1874, burned down in 1898. In 1902, a road from Zakopane was completed and named the Oswald Balzer Road. Since 1933 following the return of sovereignty
, the lake has been owned by the Polish state.
The charm of Morskie Oko has provided inspiration to many artists, including painters (Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski
, Leon Wyczółkowski, Stanisław Gałek), poets (Wincenty Pol
, Adam Asnyk
, Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer
, Franciszek Nowicki
, Jan Kasprowicz
), and composers (Zygmunt Noskowski
).
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in the Tatra Mountains
Tatra Mountains
The Tatra Mountains, Tatras or Tatra , are a mountain range which forms a natural border between Slovakia and Poland, and are the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains...
. It is located deep within the Tatra National Park, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, in the Rybi Potok Valley, at the base of the Mięguszowiecki Summits, in a region situated within the Lesser Poland Voivodeship
Lesser Poland Voivodeship
Małopolska Voivodeship , or Lesser Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, in southern Poland...
.
Lake description
Rysy
Rysy is a mountain in the crest of the High Tatras, lying on the border between Poland and Slovakia. Rysy has three peaks: the middle at ; the north-western at ; and the south-eastern at...
(2,499 meters), the highest peak in the Polish Tatras.
Beside Mięguszowiecki Summits (including Mięguszowiecki Szczyt Wielki, 2,438 meters), farther away and slightly to the left, is the distinctive, slender Mnich (“Monk,” 2,068 meters).
Many Swiss Pine
Swiss Pine
The Swiss Pine or Arolla Pine, Pinus cembra, is a species of pine tree that occurs in the Alps and Carpathian Mountains of central Europe, in Poland , Switzerland, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania. It typically grows at to altitude. It often reaches the...
s also grow around the lake.
In the past, Morskie Oko was called "Rybie Jezioro" ("Fish Lake") due to its natural stock of fish, which are uncommon in Tatra lakes and ponds. In the clear depths of the water, one can easily notice
trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
- so called "famine" trout - that live in the lake.
The name "Morskie Oko" translates to "Eye of the Sea"; this is derived from an old legend, according to which the lake was connected to the sea via an underground passage.
The hut of the Polish Tourist Country-Lovers' Society (PTTK
PTTK
Polskie Towarzystwo Turystyczno-Krajoznawcze, PTTK, is a Polish non-governmental tourist organization founded in 1950...
) stands on the moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
that closes the lake from the north. The hut is situated 1,405 meters above sea level and belongs to the oldest Tatra chalet
Chalet
A chalet , also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, native to the Alpine region, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof with wide, well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house.-Definition and origin:...
s. The hut is named after Stanisław Staszic, who explored the lake in 1805. It is a point of departure for hikes to Rysy and Szpiglasowa Przełęcz. Nearby is the Stare Schronisko ("Old Shelter"), originally a coachhouse. Both buildings have been granted historical status.
Gorals
The Gorale are a group of indigenous people found along southern Poland, northern Slovakia, and in the region of Cieszyn Silesia in the Czech Republic...
inhabitants. In winter, a short section of the journey is in an avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
danger zone, and the area can remain cold and rainy even in summer. In the advent of its popularity, visitors have been forbidden from swimming in the lake or feeding the trout.
History
The earliest documents in which Morskie Oko is mentioned date back to 1575. In 1637, the Polish king Władysław IV granted Wladyslaw Nowobilski the right to use the pastures adjoining the area.In 1824, during Partitions of Poland
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
, Morskie Oko became private property for the time being, when Zakopane
Zakopane
Zakopane , is a town in southern Poland. It lies in the southern part of the Podhale region at the foot of the Tatra Mountains. From 1975 to 1998 it was in of Nowy Sącz Province, but since 1999 it has been in Lesser Poland Province. It had a population of about 28,000 as of 2004. Zakopane is a...
estate, including Dolina Rybiego Potoku, were purchased from the Austrian authorities by Emanuel Homolacs. At the end of the nineteenth century, a boundary dispute arose between Galicia and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
over property rights to the lake and adjoining area (the so-called "Morskie Oko dispute"). The Court of Conciliation in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
ruled in favor of the Polish side. The decision is credited to Oswald Balzer
Oswald Balzer
Oswald Marian Balzer was an Austro-Polish historian of law and statehood, one of the most renowned Polish historians of his times....
, who represented the Galicia government.
Morskie Oko was "rediscovered" for tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
by Dr. Tytus Chałubiński in the mid nineteenth century; the first shelter was built there in 1836 but burned down in 1865. A second shelter, built in 1874, burned down in 1898. In 1902, a road from Zakopane was completed and named the Oswald Balzer Road. Since 1933 following the return of sovereignty
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
, the lake has been owned by the Polish state.
The charm of Morskie Oko has provided inspiration to many artists, including painters (Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski
Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski
Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski was a Polish painter and photographer. He was also a cofounder of the Polish Tatra Society.-Sources:*Andrzej Szpakowski "Walery Eljasz Radzikowski", Muzeum Historyczne Miasta Krakowa 1960....
, Leon Wyczółkowski, Stanisław Gałek), poets (Wincenty Pol
Wincenty Pol
Wincenty Pol was a Polish poet and geographer.-Life:Pol was born in Lublin , to Franz Pohl , a German in the Austrian service, and his wife Eleonora Longchamps de Berier, from a French family living in Poland. Pol fought in the Polish army in the November 1830 Uprising and participated in the 1848...
, Adam Asnyk
Adam Asnyk
Adam Asnyk , was a Polish poet and dramatist. Born September 11, 1838 in Kalisz to a szlachta family, he was educated for an heir of his family's estate. As such he received education at the Institute of Agriculture and Forestry in Marymont and then the Medical Surgeon School in Warsaw. He...
, Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer
Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer
Kazimierz Przerwa-Tetmajer was a Polish poet, novelist, playwright, journalist and writer. He was a member of the Young Poland movement.-Life:...
, Franciszek Nowicki
Franciszek Nowicki
Franciszek Henryk Siła-Nowicki was a Young Poland poet, a mountaineer, socialist activist, and designer of the Orla Perć High Tatras mountain trail.-Life:...
, Jan Kasprowicz
Jan Kasprowicz
Jan Kasprowicz was a poet, playwright, critic and translator; a foremost representative of Young Poland.-Life:...
), and composers (Zygmunt Noskowski
Zygmunt Noskowski
Zygmunt Noskowski , Polish composer, conductor and teacher.-Biography:Zygmunt Noskowski was born in Warsaw and was originally trained at the Warsaw Conservatory studying violin and composition. A scholarship enabled him to travel to Berlin where between 1864 and 1867, he studied with Friedrich...
).