Zadný Gerlach, Granite summit in High Tatras, Slovakia.
Zadný Gerlach is a granite summit in the High Tatras rising to about 2600 meters, featuring three distinct peaks that form a triangular outline along the main ridge. The mountain displays the exposed rocky formations typical of this alpine zone.
The first documented ascent took place in 1895 when mountaineer Janusz Chmielowski and guide Jedrzej Wala reached the summit. The peak later lost its designation as Poland's highest mountain following border changes in the region.
For centuries, this peak served as a boundary marker between Poland and Hungary, shaping how local communities understood their territories and borders. The mountain remains part of their shared heritage and collective memory.
Access requires authorization from TANAP authorities, and climbers can only use designated routes between mid-July and late October. This restriction exists because the peak sits within a protected national park zone.
A Soviet military aircraft crashed near the peak in 1944, leaving an unexpected mark on the mountain's story. A memorial plate at a nearby symbolic cemetery honors those who died in the incident.
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