Observation Tower on Gedymin Hill in Szczawno-Zdrój

On Gedymin Hill, a wooded elevation of 532 m above sea level also called Park Mountain, a modern observation tower about 30 metres high was opened on 8 July 2022. Two terraces, located at 16.43 and 26.85 m, and a wide wooden ramp 300 metres long make the site accessible also for prams and people with disabilities. Admission is free and the tower is open all year round.

A panorama of the Sudetes

From the upper terrace you can see almost the whole Central Sudetes: the Wałbrzych Mountains with Chełmiec, the Owl Mountains, the Ślęża Massif and Wałbrzych itself, and in clear weather the skyline of Wrocław with the Sky Tower skyscraper and the Karkonosze with Śnieżka. The terrace is equipped with landscape description boards, so it is easy to identify the successive ranges. A maximum of 80 people may stay on the structure at a time — the limit is enforced by entrance gates. Benches and a spot with a commemorative stamp stand by the tower.

Getting there

The most convenient starting point is the car park at Słoneczna Polana on Narciarska Street in Szczawno-Zdrój: a forest path, gently uphill, about 1 kilometre of walking, up to 40 minutes. An alternative is the black trail from Piaskowa Góra in Wałbrzych. In shape, the tower resembles the structure standing on Borowa.

A spa-town setting

Szczawno-Zdrój, formerly known as Bad Salzbrunn, is a spa town in the Central Sudetes with around 5,000 residents. It lies at the foot of Chełmiec (850 m), the second highest peak of the Wałbrzych Mountains, adjoining Wałbrzych.