The new Hýlačka lookout tower will be of steel or concrete construction

design by Ladislav Mláděk, Jan Vybíral and Libor Mláděk

Tábor - The new lookout tower in Tábor, Hýlačka, which was destroyed by fire on January 1 this year, will be made of concrete or steel. The Czech Tourist Club, to which the dominant tower with views over the entire Tábor region belonged, announced an architectural competition in collaboration with the city of Tábor. The jury selected three designs, from which the final winner will emerge. Two participants prepared a project with a concrete structure and one with a steel one, Radek Přílepek from the Czech Tourist Club Tábor (KČT) told ČTK today. Originally, Hýlačka was wooden.
"However, given the current fire regulations, it is not possible to choose a clad wooden structure similar to the original building," Přílepek stated. A total of 45 designs were submitted to the architectural competition. The authors of the top three designs, from which the winner will be chosen, received a financial reward.
Přílepek stated that the construction costs will range from four to 12 million CZK, depending on how much money KČT can raise. "We will try to apply for a grant and are also reaching out to some potential partners," he said. The Czech Tourist Club has raised half a million crowns in a public collection for the restoration of Hýlačka. Another part of the budget will consist of the insurance payout for the damage caused by the fire. The club does not consider taking out a loan for the construction. According to Přílepek, the project does not guarantee a return on the invested finances, so KČT would not have a way to repay a loan.
Přílepek does not yet know exactly when the construction of the new Hýlačka will begin. However, due to the insurance payout, it must start no later than three years after the fire. "We believe we can manage it sooner," he noted.
Before the fire, Hýlačka was 18 meters tall with an observation area at 11 meters. The new lookout tower should be taller, with the observation area at 25 meters. The January fire at Hýlačka caused damage of one million crowns. The cause of the fire is not yet known, but it is likely due to someone else's negligence, police spokesperson Miroslav Doubek told ČTK. "We are still working on the investigation of the case," he stated.
Hýlačka was built in 1920 in the shape of a Hussite watchtower based on a design by Theodor Petřík for 45,000 crowns at the time. The construction enjoyed the favor of donors. During World War II, it was taken over by the Germans who established an aerial observation post there. During socialism, when KČT was abolished, it was used by Svazarm, which had a radio station in it. The lookout tower was only restored after 1990 when the state returned it to tourists. In 1995, it was declared a cultural monument. About 2,000 people visited its observation platform each year.