Harrachov

Geobox | Settlement
name = Harrachov
other_name =
category = Town

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image_caption = Museum of glass and chapel in Harrachov


symbol = Harrachov_znak_mesta.jpg
etymology =
official_name =
motto =
nickname =
country = Czech Republic
country_

state =
region = Liberec
region_type = Region
district = Semily
district_type = District
commune = Tanvald
municipality =
part =
river =
location =
elevation = 665
lat_d = 50
lat_m = 46
lat_s = 23
lat_NS = N
long_d = 15
long_m = 25
long_s = 44
long_EW = E
highest =
highest_elevation =
highest_lat_d =
highest_long_d =
lowest =
lowest_elevation =
lowest_lat_d =
lowest_long_d =
area = 36.63
area_round = 2
population = 1696
population_date =
population_density = auto
established = 17th century
established_type = Founded
mayor = Václav Cajthaml
timezone =

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map_background = Czechia - background map.png map_caption = Location in the Czech Republic
map_locator = Czechia
commons = Harrachov
statistics =
website = [http://www.harrachov.cz/ www.harrachov.cz]
footnotes =

Harrachov (IPA2|ˈɦaraxof; _de. Harrachsdorf) is a town on the Mumlava river in the northern Czech Republic, four km from the border with Poland. It is within the Krkonoše mountain range, about 700 metres above sea level.

History

The first written reference dates back to the 17th century, when German-speaking settlers founded a village Dörfel there. In 1714 it was renamed Harrachsdorf after a local noble landowner, Count Harrach. Since the end of 19th century Harrachsdorf has been known for its glassworks production, textile industry, and mining. At the beginning of the 20th century, the industrial production has been bolstered by construction of railway line between Bohemian Tannwald (Tanvald) and Silesian Hirschberg (Jelenia Góra). The fact that the nearest stop, Silesian Strickerhäuser (after 1945: Tkacze, after 1959: Mýtiny) was behind the Austro-Hungarian border was not a major obstacle at that time.

After the Second World War, Silesia was acquired by Poland and the border was closed. Trains from Tanvald had to terminate in Kořenov, trains from Jelenia Góra were terminated in Jakuszyce (former Jakobsthal), on the northern side of the Novosvětský pass.

In 1947 there were 1,553 people living in Harrachov. ["Columbia-Lippincott Gazeteer" p. 760]

Instead of opening the border, the communist governments of Czechoslovakia and Poland mastered a territory exchange. In 1959, Czechoslovakia acquired the area around Mýtiny, that allowed it to extend the cog railway Tanvald-Kořenov to the outskirts of Harrachov, Poland was compensated by land to the north from "Mrtvý vrch". Harrachov, joined by originally independent settlements "Nový Svět" and "Rýžoviště", became a town in 1973.

Today

Harrachov is one of the most important Czech centres of mountain hiking and skiing; several winter sport events take place in Harrachov regularly. The whole region is of increasing importance for alpine tourism in Central Europe. Located near the Elbe river's source in the Krkonoše, it is known for its internationally used ski jumping facilities.

The international road E65 (from Prague to Poland) goes through the town. There is a border crossing between Harrachov and Poland at Jakuszyce.

References

External links

* [http://www.harrachov.cz/default_english.asp Official website]
* [http://info.fuw.edu.pl/~michalj/kolej/izery/ Map depicting the territory exchange between Czechoslovakia and Poland]
* [http://www.zvon.de/index.php?whl=12050000&lg=en/ Map railway]