Jelenia Góra is a town picturesquely situated in a valley between the Izerskie, Kaczawskie and Karkonosze Mountains. It consists of several districts of a different nature. In addition to the central, historic part of medieval origin, there are, among others, Cieplice with a thriving health resort, Sobieszów with the Chojnik Castle and Jagniątków in the Karkonosze Mountains.
Due to its location, Jelenia Góra is the seat of the Karkonosze National Park. However, there is only a small protected enclave within it, including the hill with the Chojnik Castle. The district of Jagniątków is the closest to the Karkonosze routes, from where you can go on trips to the area of Wielki Szyszak and Czarny Kocioł Jagniątków. One of the most important monuments of Jelenia Góra, Gerhart Hauptmann's House, is also located in Jagniątkowo.
The main part of Jelenia Góra is a town that has existed since the times of Bolesław Krzywousty, with numerous monuments. As early as in the 14th century, it was surrounded by city walls, of which the Grodzka Tower, the Castle Tower, which is today an excellent vantage point, and the Baszta and Wojanów Gate, rebuilt in the Baroque period.
Within the former walls there is the Town Hall Square surrounded by tenement houses from different eras, the main building of which is the Town Hall and the "Seven Houses". The oldest of the local churches is the late Gothic Minor Basilica of Saints Erasmus and Pancratius with a rich, baroque interior. An interesting monument is the Evangelical Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, built at the beginning of the 18th century.
On the outskirts of the Old Town there is a hill where the first stronghold from the Piast times stood. On its top, in 1911, an observation tower on the Krzywousty Hill was built. Tourists can also visit the Karkonoskie Museum in Jelenia Góra and the Open Air Museum of the Polish Army.
The Cieplice district is one of the most important attractions of Jelenia Góra. It is a health resort that uses hot mineral springs. Within its limits there is the Spa Park and Termy Cieplickie, which are one of the largest water parks in Lower Silesia. Cieplice also has interesting monuments, such as the Kamieniczki located around Piastowski Square, the Art Nouveau Triangular House and the monumental Palace in Cieplice. The Natural History Museum in Cieplice is very popular.
