The first documentary mention of Harrachov dates back to the 17th century. At that time the village Dorfl was founded here, which was renamed Harrachov in the 18th century. At that time tourism also became popular in the Krkonoše Mountains and the locals let tourists stay in their houses.
Glass making has been popular in the area around present-day Harrachov since the 14th century. The glassworks as we know it today was founded in 1712 by Antonín Harrach Rohrau. Baroque glass from Harrachov quickly attained a quality that soon competed with products from other areas of the Krkonoše. As early as the 19th century, the Harrachov glassworks specialised in coloured cut glass, similar to the well-known glassworks in Kamenický Šenov or Nový Bor. The glassworks belonged to the Harrach family from the beginning, but after the Second World War it was taken over by the state. Since 1993 it has been owned by a private owner. The glassworks offers excursions into production and also houses the glass museum.
The Harrach family is also associated with the beginnings of skiing in the Krkonoše Mountains. Skiing spread to Harrachov at the turn of the 19th century, when Johann Nepomuk Count of Harrach brought the first skis to his estate. The skis were not only used as a means of transport, but soon also served as a source of entertainment. Ski jumps were already popular at the beginning of the 20th century. The first international ski races in Harrachov were held as early as 1923.
Harrachov is home to one of the few mammoth ski jumps in the world. It was built in 1980. Unfortunately, it is currently in poor technical condition. For more information about skiing, visit the picturesque Ski Museum with its unique atmosphere and an expert presentation by the owners.
A cable car to Čertova hora was also put into operation in the 1980s. The current four-seater chairlift has been in operation since 2002. It has twenty supports. The lower station is located at 665 m above sea level, the upper one at 1022 m above sea level. The cable car route passes directly by the mammoth ski jump, which is still considered a distinct landmark of Harrachov.
