Łysa Góra

Łysa Góra
Monastery on Łysa Góra
Highest point
Elevation	595 m (1,952 ft)
Coordinates	50°50′28″N 21°03′24″E / 50.84111°N 21.05667°E / 50.84111; 21.05667
Naming
Translation	Bald Mountain (Polish)
Geography
Location	Poland
Parent range	Łysogóry, Świętokrzyskie Mountains

Łysa Góra [ˈwɨsa ˈɡura] (Bald Mountain; also known as Łysiec or Święty Krzyż) is a well-known hill in Świętokrzyskie Mountains, Poland. With a height of 595 metres (1,952 ft), it is the second highest point in that range (after Łysica at 612 meters or 2,008 ft). On its slopes and atop its summit are several hiking trails, the ruins of a pagan wall from 9th century, the Benedictine monastery Święty Krzyż from the 11th century (destroyed during the Second World War, now partially restored), and a Święty Krzyż TV Tower. The mountain also features prominently in a local legend about witches' sabbaths.

Łysa Góra, composed primarily of quartzite and Cambrian slates, lies in the eastern part of the Łysogóry range, and is the second largest peak of the larger Świętokrzyskie Mountains (after Łysica). A notable summit within the Świętokrzyski National Park, it is a vital point in many sightseeing trails of the region. The blue path to Pętkowice begins here, and the red path from Gołoszyce to Kuźniaki passes through here.

During the times of prehistory of Poland, Łysa Góra was likely a sacred mountain and a site of a pagan-cult temple of three gods, mentioned in the Annals of Jan Długosz. There are remains of a quartzite U-shaped wall surrounding the higher part of the hill, with length of about 1.5 km and height of 2m from 8th-10th centuries. The temple was abandoned after the baptism of Poland. The legend about witches' sabbaths is likely related to the old cult.