Wielka Sowa

In May 1904 the rotten stairs of the first tower on Wielka Sowa gave way under two tourists from Wrocław – both fell to the floor below and escaped unhurt, and the wooden structure was pulled down that autumn. Two years later a solid 25-metre tower of stone and concrete went up in its place, and it still stands today. Wielka Sowa (1,015 m), the "Great Owl", is the highest peak of the Owl Mountains (Góry Sowie) and one of the best viewpoints in the central Sudetes.

The highest peak of the Owl Mountains

Wielka Sowa (German: Hohe Eule) rises on the watershed between the Bystrzyca and Nysa Kłodzka rivers and is one of the peaks of the Crown of Polish Mountains. It is made of Precambrian metamorphic rock, and the massif lies within the Owl Mountains Landscape Park. Many trails lead to the summit, and the area is criss-crossed by cycling and cross-country ski routes.

History of the tower

The first, wooden lookout tower was built in the 1880s by the Owl Mountains Society from Reichenbach (today Dzierżoniów). It was 20 m high, and a warden charged 10 pfennigs for adults and 5 for children. After the stair collapse in 1904 the society's chairman, Richard Tamm, pushed through plans for a permanent structure. The foundation stone was laid on 1 June 1905 and the tower opened on 24 May 1906.

The new tower was a Bismarck tower – a memorial hall on the ground floor held a bust of the chancellor by Harro Magnussen, and its three windows had stained glass showing scenes from his life. After the Second World War attempts were made to name it after General Władysław Sikorski, and in 1981 after the travel writer Mieczysław Orłowicz, but neither name stuck. For decades the tower decayed and stayed closed. It was saved by the municipality of Pieszyce, which renovated it and reopened it in 2006, and after another facade renovation reopened it again on 16 July 2023. The tower even features on Pieszyce's coat of arms.

The view from the top

In good weather the panorama stretches from Śnieżka in the Giant Mountains to Śnieżnik, taking in Mount Ślęża, the Kłodzko Basin and the towns of Dzierżoniów, Pieszyce and Bielawa at the foot of the mountains. When the air is exceptionally clear you can reportedly even see Wrocław. On the first floor of the tower, 14 m up, there is an exhibition about its history and restoration.

Trails to the summit

• from Sokola Pass – about 1 hour,
• from Walimska Pass – about 1 hour,
• from Sokolec via the "Sowa" mountain hut – about 1 hour 20 minutes,
• from Jugowska Pass via Kozie Siodło – about 1.5 hours,
• from Rościszów via Walimska Pass – about 3 hours 20 minutes.

Tripto tip

The quickest ascents start from Sokola or Walimska Pass, both reachable by car. The tower is open daily in the season from May to October and mainly at weekends in winter; there is an entrance fee, and it is worth checking current hours with the Pieszyce town office, which manages the tower. On fine summer weekends the summit can get crowded, so come early. The summit can be cold and windy even in summer – bring an extra layer. Combine the hike with a descent to the "Sowa" hut or a visit to the underground Riese complex in nearby Osówka or Walim.