It is located in the Swietokrzyskie Province, occupying the central part of the Swietokrzyskie Mountains, but only about 1 percent of this massif. The park was created in 1950 and currently has an area of 7,626 hectares and a buffer zone of nearly 20,787 hectares. Protected mountain ranges include Lysogory Mountains (Lysica is the highest peak at 612m above sea level and the Lysa Gora massif) and the eastern part of Kolonowski Ridge and finally parts of the Debnianska, Slupianska and Wilkowska valleys.

Forested areas, including Mount Chelmowa, have been attached to the park. Characteristic of the park are the quartzite boulder fields, or rock debris, which can be found on the northern slopes of the mountains. The park is rich with plant life but dominated by forests (around 95 percent) which include firs. The natural and original fir forest is unique in Europe. Outstanding century-old firs and beech trees (on Lysa Gora) and larches (on Mount Chelmowa) grow here.

The lower slopes are covered in pine forests or a mixture of pine and oak. There are several trails crossing the park, a red trail from Swieta Katarzyna to Trzcianka via Lysica and blue trails from Bodzentyn (Mount Miejska) to Swieta Katarzyna and from Nowa Slupia to Swiety Krzyz (Lysa Gora).

Swietokryski National Park (woj. Swietokrzyskie)

www.swietokrzyskiepn.org.pl