A cabin that was built in spite of its enemies.

Few mountain huts in the Krkonoše Mountains have a history as dramatic as that of Rennerova bouda. It stood not far from what is now known as Kozí hřbety, on the trail between Luční bouda and Špindlerův Mlýn, and its history is filled with courage, rivalry, hospitality, and legends that are still told in the Krkonoše Mountains today.

Rennerova bouda was built in 1797 by brothers August and Ignác Renner, descendants of an old Alpine family that came to the Krkonoše Mountains during the colonization of the 16th century.

However, its founding was by no means easy. The Renners were closely related to the innkeepers of Luční bouda, but instead of receiving their support, they became their fiercest competitors. As mountain tourism developed, tensions between the two lodges grew.

There were even incidents that today read like an adventure novel. Construction timber, painstakingly transported from the valley, was cut up twice by their rivals. One of the Renner brothers was even thrown into a pit of slaked lime, and the attackers attempted to kill him with a boulder. Fate, however, intervened differently—the boulder injured one of the perpetrators, while the victim managed to escape from the pit and wash the caustic lime off himself at the White Elbe. The local authorities subsequently confiscated part of the perpetrators’ land and annexed it to the Renner cabin.

Despite all the obstacles, the cabin was completed, and thanks to its well-thought-out mountain architecture, it withstood the harsh Krkonoše weather admirably. The stone walls, spruce beams sealed with moss and clay, shingle siding, and the stone-weighted roof were inspired by Alpine structures.

In 1832, Renner’s Hut passed into the ownership of the Buchberger family. Originally, it served primarily as a summer farm hut for raising livestock. Around 1890, it included approximately 230 hectares of mountain meadows where cows, young cattle, and goats grazed.

However, with the growth of tourism, its purpose began to change. Toward the end of the 19th century, it underwent several renovations, including the addition of guest rooms and a veranda with a magnificent view of Sněžka and the surrounding mountain meadows, and it gradually became a popular mountain inn.

Guests found comfortable accommodations, excellent cuisine, and a wide selection of beverages, including Vrchlabí beer and wines. Rennerova bouda attracted visitors primarily due to its location on the ridge of the Krkonoše Mountains, from which one could admire unique sunrises and sunsets.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Rennerova bouda was a hub of lively social life. The memories of zither player Ferdinand Neugebauer, who worked there from 1903, give a sense of the atmosphere of those mountain evenings.

Guests would arrive as early as the afternoon to secure a place to stay for the night. When all the rooms were full, people would even spend the night in the hayloft. In the evening, the common room filled with people from various corners of the monarchy.

After dinner, the zithers would ring out, folk songs were sung, and people often danced the polka, the waltz, or the quadrille. There were no social distinctions—everyone sat at the same table and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere of the mountain lodge. Many would then set out early in the morning for Sněžka to watch the sunrise.

During the First Republic, the Bönsch brothers, who also owned the Luční chalet, purchased the Renner chalet. They combined the management of both properties.

During the mobilization in 1938, the Czechoslovak army occupied the chalet. Shortly thereafter, the building burned down under circumstances similar to the fire at the Luční chalet. Although construction of a new building began during the occupation and the shell was completed up to the roof, it was never finished after World War II.

In 1950, the military administration had the unfinished building demolished, and the site was razed to the ground.

Very few traces of Renner’s Hut remain. Today, a small rest area stands on the site of the former building, featuring Renner’s Spring, which still draws water from the original water supply.

If you follow the red hiking trail from Luční bouda across Kozí hřbety toward Špindlerův Mlýn, you’ll pass the spot where one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of the Krkonoše mountain huts unfolded.

One of the Krkonoše legends is also connected to Renner’s Lodge.

It tells the story of a young girl named Liza, who worked at the lodge and liked to mock Krakonoš. One day, while turning hay, she sang a mocking song about the Lord of the Mountains. Suddenly, a handsome young man appeared before her and asked her for a kiss.

When he later confessed that he was Krakonoš himself, Liza laughed at him. For her insolence, however, a strange punishment awaited her. Upon returning to the hut, she discovered that a goat’s beard had grown on her chin. Neither shaving nor cutting it off helped, and the beard remained with her for the rest of her life. From then on, they say, everyone called her Goat Liza.

To this day, the legend serves as a reminder that in the Krkonoše Mountains, it’s wise to show respect to the Lord of the Mountains—because you never know when he might decide to listen to you.

Source: History of the Krkonoše Mountain Huts