Thick Fir

The Fat Fir, also known as Dicke Tanne, was a remarkable specimen of the European silver fir (Abies alba), growing in the Knieja Czatożańska forest on the northern slopes of Babia Góra. With a circumference of 6.76 meters at breast height and an age exceeding 600 years, it became one of the oldest and largest trees in the Babia Góra National Park. The height of the Fat Fir ranged from 55 to 65 meters, making it an impressive tourist attraction during the pivotal period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when tourism in the Carpathians was intensifying. The tree grew at an altitude of 860 meters above sea level near the Czarne Cyrhel clearing, close to what is now the yellow trail from Zawoja Składy to Markowe Szczawiny. Unfortunately, in the late 19th century, the tree began to decline after being struck by lightning, and its further destruction came at the hands of shepherds who lit a fire in its hollowed trunk. Eventually, in 1914, the Fat Fir was toppled by strong winds. In 1960, at the request of Professor Władysław Szafer, a concrete reconstruction of the tree's stump was created, highlighting not only its historical significance but also its impact on local culture and traditions related to tourism in the Babia Góra region. The Fat Fir remains a symbol of natural heritage and a testament to the longevity and power of nature.