Jelenia Góra Valley (; ; ; Literally "Deer Mountain Valley") in Poland is a big valley at the Silesian northern side of the Western Sudetes and next to Kłodzko Valley the largest intermontane basin of the Sudetes. It is situated at an altitude of 250–400 meters above sea level and covers an area of 273 km2. In the 19th century, the lovely landscape attracted the Prussian high nobility, which built magnificent palaces, manors and parks. The enormous number of stately homes turned the valley into one of the most important garden landscapes in Middle Europe.
The palaces and landscape parks of the Jelenia Góra valley represent one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments (Pomnik historii), as designated September 20, 2011. Its listing is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland.
Geography
Jelenia Góra valley is surrounded by parts of the Sudetes mountains. It lies at the foot of the Karkonosze, which are also its southern limit. In the east it borders the Rudawy Janowickie, in the west the Jizera Mountains and in the north to the Kaczawskie Mountains. River Bóbr runs through the valley along its northern side, its tributaries Łomnica and Kamienna flow, from the southeast and south-west, along the eastern and western side of the valley and open out near since Jelenia Góra into the Bóbr. The name of the valley derives from Jelenia Góra, which is also the most important town of the Silesian Karkonosze.
The valley is characterised by ridges which are separated by smaller basins. Wzgórza Karpnickie near Karpniki is the easternmost ridge, followed by Obniżenie Mysłakowickie basin near Mysłakowice to the west, Wzgórza Łomnickie ridge to the southeast of Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój (a spa district of Jelenia Góra), the wide basin Obniżenie Sobieszowa near Sobieszów, Wysoczyzna Rybnicy ridge north west of Piechowice and Starej Kamienicy basin near Stara Kamienica.
History
Already in the 12th century the Polish kingdom built several strongholds against Bohemia near Jelenia Gora valley, such as Nowo Grodziec or Swiny. After Boleslaw I initiated the Ostsiedlung in Silesia, the valley was cleared of forests by German colonists beginning in the late 13th century, and several villages and towns were established, among them Hirschberg (Jelenia Góra). During that time the family Schaffgotsch appeared for the first time in the region, and later owned large parts of the valley as well as of the Giant Mountains until their expulsion in 1945. After the forests lost its significance as a natural border against Bohemia the Silesian Piasts of the independent duchy of Jawor-Świdnica built several castles in the valley to secure the border and to protect the new villages. Many fortifications were constructed, especially during the reign of Bolko II, who was in a constant feud with Bohemia. In the middle of the 15th century Matthias Corvinus, who ruled over Silesia, destroyed almost all Silesian castles. During the Renaissance and Baroque era many manors were expanded, sometimes to splendid palaces.
Since the Treaty of Berlin (1742) Silesia had become part of the Kingdom of Prussia. At the end of the 18th century artists and travellers attracted by the landscape discovered the valley. At first Bad Warmbrunn (Cieplice Śląskie Zdrój, now a district of Jelenia Góra) with its hot springs became a popular bath and tourist centre. In 1822 Wilhelm, a brother of Prussian king Frederick William III, was the first prince of the Hohenzollern dynasty who took his summer residence in the Hirschberg valley, at Fischbach (today Karpniki) castle. In 1831 the king himself bought Erdmannsdorf estate, which he had learned to appreciate when visiting his brother in Fischbach and the previous owner of Erdmannsdorf, field marshal August von Gneisenau. The valley became a princely hideaway, and in 1839 the king purchased nearby Schildau Castle (today Wojanów) for his daughter Princess Louise. Frederick William IV enlarged Erdmannsdorf Palace. Many new parks were created and manors and palaces rebuilt according to the newest architectural styles. Artificial ruins, small pavilions, cottages, romantic temples and viewpoints created a cultural landscape of international recognition.