Despite lying less than 15 kilometers (10 miles) north of Jelenia Góra, Poland’s tallest stone and arch dam at Pilchowice gives the impression of being located in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps it’s the narrow, winding forest roads that occasionally abandon pavement for cobblestones, or the abandoned train tracks that crisscross the road and the river with rusty bridges and stone tunnels. Although the reservoir is a popular recreation spot for locals, it’s never truly busy. The massive stone dam and the hydroelectric power plant operating at its base took more than…
