Špindlerův Mlýn


Špindlerův Mlýn is a town in the Krkonoše mountains in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It is one of the most frequented ski resorts in the country.

Geography

Špindlerův Mlýn is in the north of the historic Bohemia region near the border with Poland. Situated on the southern slopes of the Kozí hřbety, part of the Krkonoše Bohemian Ridge, at an altitude of to a.s.l., it is protected on all sides by the mountain peaks of Kozí hřbety, Pláň and Mt. Medvědín. In the east rises Luční hora at, the second highest mountain of the Czech Republic.
Špindlerův Mlýn lies on the confluence of the river Labe and the Dolský potok. The Elbe source is located northwest of the town, near the Polish border and Mt. Vysoké Kolo at an altitude of. About 1 km downstream are the Labe Falls which cascade about in depth. A large dam was built in 1911–16 near Labská.
The municipal area comprises the villages of Přední Labská, Labská, Bedřichov and Svatý Petr. Nowadays it has about 1,300 permanent inhabitants.

History

The settlement was first documented in the early 16th century under the rule of King Louis II Jagiello. It received its name after a mill belonging to a Spindler family, where neighbours would meet.
In the 18th century, large parts of the surrounding forests were a possession of the Habsburg minister Friedrich August von Harrach-Rohrau, after whom the village of Bedřichov is named. In 1793 the local miners and lumbermen were given permission by Emperor Francis II to build the parish church of Svatý Petr. After World War II the remaining German-speaking population was expelled according to the Beneš decrees.

Tourism

Špindlerův Mlýn developed as a resort town from the mid 19th century onwards. Franz Kafka stayed here for recreation in January/February 1922 and began writing of one of his most famous works, The Castle.
With year-round use and with accommodation capacity of 10,000 beds, Špindlerův Mlýn is one of the most visited ski resorts in the Czech Republic, and has 20 runs, the most of all resorts in the country. During the winter season the area hosts the Europacup in freestyle skiing and SnowJam, a professional snowboarding event. Some years, e.g. 2019, the Alpine Ski World Cup has been held here. In the surroundings there are many marked hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing trails. Wildwater canoeing is also common on the Labe river.

Twin towns

Špindlerův Mlýn is twinned with: