The Elbe Spring is a place of reference on the ridge of the Giant Mountains, for tourist purposes symbolically treated as the beginning of the River Elbe. It is situated at an altitude of approximately 4550ft. The border with the town of Harrachov and therefore the district of Semily in the Liberec region does not cover the north-south so called “Česká cesta”, but it is several tens of meters west of the Labe source. The place is one of the most sought-after walking destinations on the Czech side of the mountain range, its importance was appreciated already in 1684, when Bishop Jan Krištof from Talmberk visited and blessed it.
As mentioned above, it is only a symbolic installation at the junction of marked hiking trails in the form of a stream with a water inlet and outlet, a paved area with benches and (since 1968) a stone wall.
Pančavský Waterfall is a waterfall in the village Špindlerův Mlýn. It is the highest waterfall in the Czech Republic. It measures 485ft and is located on the eastern slope in the upper part of the Labe Valley in Krkonoše Mountains. The waterfall forms the Pančava creek (the right-hand tributary of the Elbe). It is stable with fluctuating flow, on average 25 l / s. Most notable is during the spring melting of snow, which is usually the end of April to the beginning of May. In high water, the waterfall branches to several branches. The name according to the Pančavský brook originates from the German pantschen, wriggly planschen or plantschen, which means splash.
The waterfall has been frequently visited since the beginning of tourism. In 1859 Josef Schier, the owner of a nearby Labe hut, built a small water reservoir with a locker over the upper edge. After reaching a sufficient number of paying tourists, the ramp was lifted and the waterfall increased the flow rate. Above and under the waterfall, small refreshment boxes and a top viewing terrace were set up. In the 1930s, the cistern with the booths and the terrace was canceled.
For more information about the Liberec Region where this place is located click here.
