Cieszyn Silesia - Geography

Geography

The region is separated from the rest of Silesia (and Upper Silesia in particular) by the Vistula river (the part beginning in Strumień) and from the region of Lesser Poland by the Biała river and Barania Góra mountain, the highest peak of the Polish part of the region at 1,220 metres (4,003 ft). The highest peak of the region is Lysá hora (1,324 m (4,344 ft)) in the Czech part. The region also borders Slovakia, along the Polom mountain range and Jablunkov Pass at Mosty u Jablunkova, and Czech Moravia across the rivers Ostravice and Oder. Geographically, the area of Cieszyn Silesia is subdivided into:

• Silesian Hills (Pogórze Śląskie)
• Silesian Beskids (Beskid Śląski, Slezské Beskydy), except the Szczyrk area
• Moravian-Silesian Beskids (eastern part; Moravskoslezské Beskydy, Beskid Morawsko-Śląski)
• Moravian Gate (northern part; Moravská brána)
• Oświęcim Valley (western part; Kotlina oświęcimska)

Major towns of the region include Cieszyn and Bielsko (western part of Bielsko-Biała), as well as Czechowice-Dziedzice, Skoczów, Strumień, Ustroń and Wisła. The Czech part of the region includes the eastern part of Ostrava (called Slezská Ostrava), Karviná (and in past Fryštát, now a district of Karviná), Frýdek (the eastern part of Frýdek-Místek), Bohumín, Český Těšín, Havířov, Jablunkov and Třinec.

Some authors claim that Cieszyn Silesia is a part of Upper Silesia while some authors claim that Cieszyn Silesia and Upper Silesia are separate regions.