The tower boom in the Czech Republic is successfully continuing

B3 atelier: Observation Tower on Kelčský Javorník

Prague - Observation towers are a phenomenon in the Czech Republic that has undergone a significant revival, especially in the last decade. The most observation towers were built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in connection with the expansion of various beautification societies, but new lookout structures are also being built in large numbers today. On Saturday, April 26, the first observation tower of this tourist season will be opened, specifically the Špulka lookout tower near Lbosín in the Benešov region.
    Currently, it is reported that there are about 350 observation towers in the Czech Republic, according to some sources up to 365. While only five new observation towers were built between 1948 and 1989, more than a hundred have been newly constructed in the last five years. Most of them are telecommunication towers that secondarily serve the purpose of enjoying the view of the countryside, but some new observation towers also belong to architecturally successful structures.
    At present, however, not all observation towers in the Czech lands are accessible to the public; among the inaccessible ones is the popular stone tower on Bramberk in the Jizera Mountains, which, along with three guesthouses in the vicinity, will go up for auction on April 30. The same fate befell the lodge with the lookout tower on Pancíř in the Šumava Mountains.
    The term "observation tower" cannot be precisely defined, and opinions on its delineation vary. According to expert and author Jan Nouza, who has written several books on observation towers, an observation tower should be "a lookout structure created by human activity, designed or additionally modified for the purpose of viewing, with a viewing space placed at least several meters above the surrounding terrain, accessible to the general public (albeit only during a certain time or historical period) and recognized as an observation tower by general awareness." According to observation tower expert Vladimír Pohorecký, a "classic" observation tower is "a tower built for the tourist public for the purpose of viewing."

Selection of new observation towers to be opened this year:

CIBULKA - A unique thirty-meter observation tower with a dome-shaped lookout resembling an onion is rising on Šibeniční vrch (666 meters above sea level) above the town of Oloví in the Kraslicko region. The steel observation tower with wooden elements is expected to be opened to the public at the beginning of the summer holidays, and tourists will be able to enjoy views of the peaks of the Krušné mountains, Slavkovský les, and Karlovy Vary region. 

HAVRAN - The former military lookout on the highest peak of Tachovsko (895 meters) stands just 300 meters from the German border. In the past, it served the Czechoslovak army for monitoring military radiotechnical targets and NATO aircraft navigation systems. The 24-meter high steel tower has been abandoned since the soldiers left in 1992 and has gradually deteriorated. Last year, a civic association began renovations, and the observation tower is set to be ceremonially opened to tourists on June 14 this year. On clear days, the tower offers views of the Šumava, Slavkovský les, and, under exceptionally favorable conditions, even the Alps. By the end of September, another new 25-meter high observation tower should rise above Tachov.

KOTEL - From May 10, tourists will be able to enjoy a view of Rokycansko from a 28-meter high steel tower located at an altitude of 575 meters above sea level.

RADOŠOV - A fifteen-meter steel observation tower with wooden elements is currently nearing completion among vineyards on Radošov hill (246 meters) near Veselí nad Moravou. The tower, whose silhouette is meant to resemble a wine glass, will be complemented by the establishment of two tourist trails around the town - a ten-kilometer route for pedestrians and a twenty-five-kilometer route for cyclists. The new observation tower will be accessible to visitors from May 31, and under good visibility, it will provide views as far as Pálava near Mikulov.

ŠPIČÁK - After years of preparation, a 26.5-meter high observation tower is being constructed on Špičák (1202 meters) in the Šumava Mountains. The building will have a basic steel structure and a wooden casing, and tourists are expected to enjoy their first view from it on the first day of July. The area at Špičák, which is the largest ski area on the Czech side of the Šumava in winter and operates as a bike park in summer, is also set to open a new restaurant and parking this year.

ŠPULKA - The Špulka lookout tower on Březák hill (532 meters) near Lbosín in the Benešov area has been completed and will open to tourists on April 26. This architecturally interesting wooden structure measures 45.6 meters including the antenna and has a viewing platform placed at 30 meters. A newly built educational trail with information panels leads to the observation tower.

Development of the number of new observation towers in the Czech Republic:

Year	Number
2003	20
2004	11
2005	13
2006	17
2007	13
2008	10
2009	27
2010	15
2011	25
2012	25
2013	15