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Giant Mountains

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Aerial view over the Karkonosze

The Karkonosze (Polish; pronounced kár-ko-no-she) or Krkonoše (pronounced in Czech) is a mountain range in the Sudetes in Central Europe. The range is also known as the Giant Mountains, a translation of the German term Riesengebirge, which has also historically been used in English. The names Karkonosze and Krkonoše are fairly ancient, appearing in the name of a people listed by Ptolemy as the Corconti; it may be Pre-Indo-European. The meaning was preserved, appearing in medieval Latin as Gigantei montes.

The mountains stretch from north-west to south-east and form the border between Poland and the Czech Republic. At 1,602 metres above sea level on the Czech–Polish border, the mountain Sněžka-Śnieżka is the highest peak in the Czech Republic. Large areas of the mountains are preserved as a national park by both countries. The mountains are famous for their skiing resorts and are growing in importance as a less expensive and, in some cases, nearer alternative to the Alps for tourism. The River Elbe originates in the mountains.

Important towns in the mountains are:

See also

External links

50°46′N 15°37′E / 50.767°N 15.617°E / 50.767; 15.617

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