Šumava National Park
As a natural “island” and a counterbalance to intensively used landscapes, a national park offers both beauty and strength to people. Šumava National Park is the largest of the four national parks in the Czech Republic, covering an area of 68,064 ha. Large-scale protection of Šumava began in 1963 with the establishment of the Šumava Protected Landscape Area, followed in 1991 by the designation of the national park. As one of the most extensive continuous forest complexes in Central Europe, it is known as the “Green Heart of Europe.”
Geological, soil and geomorphological conditions create the basic prerequisites for vegetation development and the management of groundwater and surface waters. In addition to mountain spruce forests and virgin woodland, the most important natural features include bogs, peatlands, and glacial lakes. Šumava is one of the oldest mountain ranges in Central Europe. It rises from an elevation of about 700 m above sea level, with its highest peaks—exceeding 1400 m—located on the Bavarian side. The highest peak on the Czech side is Plechý (1378 m a.s.l.). The core of the mountains is formed by the Šumava Plains, an extensive upland plateau at about 1000 m elevation, from which the Železná Ruda Highlands extend to the northwest and the Trojmezenské border ridge and the inland ridges of Boubínské and Želnavské Highlands stretch to the southeast, separated by the broad Vltavická Furrow.
