Chełmiec Observation Tower

The viewing tower on Chełmiec stands on the summit of Chełmiec, a rocky hill in the Wałbrzych Mountains, visible from almost every point in Wałbrzych when looking from the town's side.

A stone tower from 1888

The tower was built in 1888. It has a form resembling a castle's pseudo-turret, is 22 metres high and is built of stone, specifically Permian porphyries, the same rock the summit of Chełmiec itself is made of. In the 1880s two dirt roads were laid out to the hill, and a section of forest was cleared to make tourist access to the summit easier.

A summit visible from afar

Chełmiec, on which the tower stands, is 851 metres above sea level and belongs to the massif that rises directly above Wałbrzych. Besides the viewing tower, the summit also holds a 45-metre cross, erected in 2000, and a 69-metre telecommunications mast from 1973, serving television, mobile networks and radio stations. All these structures can be seen in good weather from a distance of several dozen kilometres, making Chełmiec one of the landmark points of the Wałbrzych region.

Visiting and celebrations

The summit remains open to tourist traffic, and the tower and cross are also a site of religious celebrations organised by the Diocese of Świdnica.

Practical information

• Location: the summit of Chełmiec in the Wałbrzych Mountains, above Wałbrzych, near Szczawno-Zdrój.
• Getting there: hiking trails lead to the summit from the Wałbrzych side; it is worth checking the exact route and walking time before setting out.
• What to expect: a stone viewing tower, a cross and a telecommunications mast on the summit, plus a view taking in the area around Wałbrzych and Szczawno-Zdrój.