Karpacz

Infobox Settlement
name = Karpacz
image_shield = POL Karpacz COA.svg
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = POL
subdivision_type1 = Voivodeship
subdivision_name1 = Lower Silesian
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Jelenia Góra
subdivision_type3 = Gmina
subdivision_name3 = Karpacz (urban gmina)
latd = 50 | latm = 46 | lats = 42 | latNS = N | longd = 15 | longm = 45 | longs = 26 | longEW = E
pushpin_

area_total_km2 = 37.99
population_density_km2 = auto
elevation_max_m = 885
elevation_min_m = 480
population_as_of = 2006
population_total = 5063
website = http://www.karpacz.pl

Karpacz [IPA-pl|'|k|a|r|p|a|cz] (German "Krummhübel") is a spa town and ski resort in Jelenia Góra County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, south-western Poland, and one of the most important centres for mountain hiking and skiing. Its population is about 5,000. Karpacz is situated in the Karkonosze mountains - a resort with increasing importance for tourism as an alternative to the Alps.

Karpacz is located at 480-885 metres above sea level. South of Karpacz on the border to the Czech Republic there is Mount Sněžka-Śnieżka (1,602 m). In Karpacz Górny there is a Norwegian stave church, moved here from Vang, Norway in the mid-19th century.

Krummhübel is first mentioned in 1599 because of lead and iron mining. Since the construction of Krummhübel's first railway connection in 1895 history was connected with the development of metallurgy industries and with the progress of tourism. The village was part of Germany until 1945. Krummhübel's original German population was forcibly expelled from the village between 1945 and 1947. The town was subsequently repopulated with ethnic Poles and renamed Karpacz.

In Karpacz Górny (German "Brückenberg") is a gravity hill where bottles appear to roll uphill.

According to legend, Krummhübel was the home to Rübezahl, a giant.

External links

* [http://www.karpacz.ig.pl/ Karpacz website] (Polish, German & English)
* [http://www.karpacz.popracy.pl/ Karpacz and wirtual Map] (Polish)