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The 'Karkonosze' (Polish; pronounced ''kár-ko-no-she'') or 'Krkonoše' (Czech; IPA: ) is a mountain range in the Sudetes in Central Europe. The range is also sometimes known as the 'Giant Mountains' (). The name is fairly ancient, appearing in the name of a people listed in Ptolemy as the Corconti. It may be Pre-Indo-European. The meaning was preserved, appearing in mediaeval Latin as ''Gigantei montes''. The mountain range was traditionally known as the Riesengebirge in German for hundreds of years prior to 1946.
The mountains stretch from north-west to south-east and form the border between Poland and the Czech Republic. At 1602 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. River Elbe originates in the mountains.
Important towns in the mountains are:

★ Karpacz ski resort in Poland

★ Szklarska Poręba ski resort in Poland

★ Špindlerův Mlýn mountain resort in the Czech Republic

★ Harrachov in the Czech Republic

★ Pec pod Sněžkou mountain resort in the Czech Republic

★ Przesieka in Poland

★ Kowary in Poland

Contents

See also

External links

See also

★ Karkonosze National Park

★ Krkonoše National Park

External links

★ Official Krkonošský národní park website

★ Official Karkonoski Park Narodowy website

★ Wide information about Karkonosze

★ Portal for Krkonose region

★ Pictures of Giant Mountains, informations

★ Polish Karkonosze website and virtual map

★ Polen Riesengebirge

★ Photo of Karkonosze

★ Karkonosze - information, history

★ Accommodation Giant Mountains

★ Szklarska Poręba

★ Karkonosze

★ Giant mountains tourist informations