Meteorological Station, Krkonoše Giant Mountains, Sněžka, Czech Republic

As a result the mountains became one of the most popular vacation areas in Germany. During the Gründerzeit (19th Century period of industrial and economic growth) many manufacturers from Berlin built numerous holiday villas on the Silesian side, which are often preserved to this day and provide a special flair, as in Szklarska Poręba (formerly Schreiberhau). Direct rail links from Schreiberhau to Berlin, Breslau, Stettin and Dresden and later even Deutsche Luft Hansa air links via Hirschberg guaranteed a convenient and speedy arrival. On laying out Berlin's Victoria Park on the Kreuzberg between 1888 and 1894 the garden architect Hermann Mächtig designed its waterfall after the Zackelfall (Kamieńczyk Fall) and a gully after Wolfsschlucht (Vlčí rokle in Adršpach).
After 1945 and the population transfer of the German inhabitants an expansion of ski resorts with new lifts and slopes took place on both sides of the mountains, while the traditional mountain huts were neglected. Many were victims of fires, such as Elbfallbaude, Riesenbaude, or Prinz-Heinrich-Baude. Similarly many hiking trails, ski jumps and luge tracks fell into disrepair due to lack of care. The cross-border hiking trail on the main ridge called "Polish - Czech Friendship Trail" was closed in the 1980s for all but Polish and Czechoslovak citizens. The mountains are on the route of main Sudetes hiking trail, Główny Szlak Sudecki which follows along the main ridge.
Today, the Krkonoše are a popular holiday destination in summer and winter especially for visitors from Germany and the Netherlands. The nearest international airport is located in Wroclaw. Large ski resorts are located on the Czech side in Špindlerův Mlýn (Spindlermühle) and Harrachov (Harrachsdorf) and on the Polish side in Szklarska Poręba (Schreiberhau) and Karpacz (Krummhübel).