Shelter Tourist Station "Orle"

The “Orle” Tourist Station is an iconic mountain lodge in the heart of the Jizera Mountains, built on the site of the former Carlsthal glassworks. The facility is located in the Jizera Dark Sky Park, on the Polish-Czech border, and is considered one of the most magical places in the Sudetes.

The history of the site dates back to 1754, when the Preussler family founded the Carlsthal glassworks here along with a small workers’ settlement. The glassworks operated for nearly 140 years, employing nearly 100 people at its peak, and was closed in 1891. After the factory closed, the remaining buildings were converted—they now serve as a mountain shelter.

Three main trails lead to Orle: the red trail from Chatka Górzystów (1:20 h, 5.1 km) and continuing from Rozdroże Izerskie (4 h, 13.7 km), and the yellow trail from Polana Jakuszycka and from Świeradów-Zdrój (4 h, 12.4 km). There is also a green trail from the Czech Republic via Granicznik.

Only those who have made a reservation for accommodation may drive to Orle. The access road follows the route of the hiking trails, so drivers must respect the presence of pedestrians and cyclists.

Yes, the shelter offers guest rooms in the buildings of the former steelworks, as well as a kitchen and dining room. Accommodations and home-cooked meals are available, and the place itself is famous for its atmosphere of a former industrial settlement nestled in the Jizera forests.

Orle is the lodge with the most extensive industrial history in the region—it was built on the site of a glassworks that operated for a century and a half. It is also one of the most remote lodging facilities in the Sudetes, ideal for observing the night sky in the Jizera Dark Sky Park.