Description

Lomnica (Slovak: Lomnický štít, German: Lomnitzer Spitze, Hungarian: Lomnici-csúcs) - the second highest peak in the Tatras (2634 or 2632 m) after Gerlach (2655 m), situated in the Slovak part of the High Tatras. Until more accurate measurements around 1860 it was considered the highest peak in the Tatra Mountains.

Since the 15th century it was a coat of arms of the Berzevicze family of Veľká Lomnica. It was also considered a symbol of the Spišské Tatry. In 17th and 19th century, like in many other places in the Tatras, there were mining works on the Lomnický Peak (in the area of Copper Meadows). The first known ascent was made by Jakob Fabri senior (a member of a family engaged in mining in this region) between 1760 and 1790. Early tourist ascents include the following: Robert Townson with two hunters on 17 August 1793, Stanislaw Staszic with guides on 21 August 1802 or 1804. In winter, the first on the summit was Theodor Wundt with guide Jakob Horvay on 27 December 1891.

Until 1870 Lomnica was the most visited peak of the High Tatras. The writer Jadwiga Luscheva came to Spiš just to see Lomnica, the president Ludvík Svoboda was on it several times on foot. Lomnica played an important role in the history of conquering the Tatras. Stanislav Stasic climbed it to conduct experiments with magnetism. Maksymilian Nowicki wrote in 1867: He who is sure in his legs and free from vertigo, to him it is easy to ascend it and descend from it. The conquest of the mountain in 1891 by the German alpinist Theodor Wundt in difficult winter conditions was the then record of difficulties overcome.

Leading Polish mountaineers took part in the struggle to conquer the difficult 250-400 m high western wall. On the 8th of August 1929 it was climbed (its left part) by Wiesław Stanisławski, Antoni Kenar and Aleksander Stanecki, on the 21st of June 1930 by another route (its right part) by Wincenty Birkenmajer and Kazimierz Kupczyk. Jan Kazimierz Dorawski wrote about this second route that it probably could not be surpassed by anything else in the Tatra Mountains.