Great Szczeliniec

Great Szczeliniec, the highest peak of the Table Mountains (922 meters above sea level), is renowned for its trapezoidal shape and unique terrain, attracting tourists from all over Poland and abroad. Its cracked sandstone surface, covered with coniferous forest, creates extraordinary rock formations resembling people and animals, including the Camel Rock or the Grandfather's Chair, which is the highest point. The summit is also known for its labyrinth of corridors and gorges, such as Hell or the Devil's Kitchen, as well as rocking stones that can be moved despite their considerable mass. Geologically, Szczeliniec is a table mountain built mainly of block sandstones formed in marine conditions. For tourists, the trail to the summit features 680 steps, built in 1814 by Franz Pabel, and within the landscape reserve, there is the PTTK shelter "Na Szczelińcu". The history of the mountain dates back to ancient trade routes, and the first known trace of human presence on the summit dates back to 1576 when an inscription was carved on the Grandfather's Chair. Szczeliniec has been a popular tourist destination since the 18th century, visited by famous personalities, including the poet Goethe and U.S. President John Quincy Adams. Today, Great Szczeliniec is not only a tourist attraction but also an important point in the Crown of Polish Mountains.