Mountain Shelter "Dom Śląski"

The Silesian Mountain Hostel "Dom Śląski", also known as "Śląski Dom", is a historic building located at an altitude of 1,400 meters above sea level in the Karkonosze Mountains in Poland. Its history dates back to the 17th century when a hut for lumberjacks and shepherds was built on the pass below Śnieżka. In 1847, the first mountain lodge, Heldmannbaude, was constructed on the Silesian side, which burned down in 1888. The current building, designed by the Wrocław architect Herbert Eras, was constructed between 1921 and 1922 and represents a style typical of German mountain hostels from the interwar period. It features a stepped roof and wooden cladding. The interior, styled after Alpine lodges, offered accommodation for 66 people as well as space in a common room. The architectural value of the hostel is also reflected in its decorative elements and functional room layout. A historical curiosity is that in 1924, the largest wind turbine in Germany at the time was installed next to the hostel, which unfortunately operated only until January 1925. After World War II, the management of the hostel was taken over by the Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society (PTTK), and since 2007, it has been privately owned. The hostel is located at a junction of hiking trails leading to Śnieżka and the Czech side of the Karkonosze, making it a popular destination for tourists. In its vicinity, there are unique peat bogs and a fragment of Norwegian tundra, adding to the natural and cultural value of the area.