Breiteberg (510 m a.s.l.) is the highest point of the Zittau-Görlitz Depression in the Western Sudetes — a charming, dome-shaped hill that rewards hikers with sweeping views and a historic stone observation tower. At the summit you will find a 13-metre tower built in 1936 and one of the oldest mountain restaurants in the area, the 'Breiteberg Baude', which has been welcoming guests since 1880.
The hill has a distinctive rounded shape with evenly sloping, forest-covered sides. The ascent is pleasant and not too demanding, and once you reach the top the view opens up beautifully — the Lusatian Mountains, Jizera Mountains, Giant Mountains (Karkonosze), the iconic ridge of Ještěd, and the skylines of Görlitz and Zittau all stretch out before you. Geologically, Breiteberg is a volcanic hill built from phonolite, formed during the Miocene era, which gives it an interesting rocky character at the summit. In spring the slopes are brightened by protected lily of the valley and corydalis, while autumn turns the mixed forest into a blaze of colour.
How to reach the summitThe hill has long been wrapped in local legend — it was once known as 'Zwergberg' (Dwarfs' Hill) because of folk tales about small creatures called Querxen and a dragon said to roam these woods.