Czorneboh


Czorneboh is a mountain between Hochkirch and Cunewalde in Upper Lusatia, a historical region in Germany and Poland. It belongs to the Czorneboh mountain range southeast of Bautzen and, with a height of 555.7 m above sea level, is the highest point of the northernmost chain of the Lusatian Highlands. It introduces the undulating granite landscape of the Lusatian foothill zone. The summit of Czorneboh lies in the local sub-district of Meschwitz, but the Czornebohbaude lies in the district of Rachlau in the Bautzen district.

Etymology

The name Czorneboh is believed to have been coined in the 18th-century, inspired by the chronicles and tales of Sorbian mythology. For example, medieval chronicler Helmold of Bosaus wrote in 1168: "They believe that all happiness is directed by a good god, all misfortune by an evil god. Therefore they also call the evil god Diabol or Zcerneboch in their language, i.e. the black god".
Until the 19th century, only the names Schleifberg, Exanberg or Finsterwald can be found in the files of the town of Bautzen. The first of these names, Schleifberg, was adopted by the national socialist regime in 1937 in an attempt to eliminate all reference to Sorbian culture in location names. The change was reverted in 1945.

Observation tower and inn

A 23.25 meter high observation tower and a restaurant with a beer garden can be found at the summit. The building, called the Czornebohbaude was first proposed in 1850, and construction was completed on the 17th of May 1851. The tower opened to the public alongside the new inn the following year. The stone tower is the oldest of its kind in Upper Lusatia.
In 1928, the tower was reinforced with a wooden superstructure, which lasted 16 years until burning down in 1944. After 163 years of operation, the restaurant was closed in 2013 for renovation by the city of Bautzen. On 16 April 2016, the Czornebohbaude reopened.