Karlovy Vary have started to renovate the Goethe Viewpoint above the city

Karlovy Vary - Karlovy Vary have started to reconstruct the Goethe viewpoint. The restoration of the lookout tower above the city will cost 40.4 million crowns and is expected to be completed in the autumn, the spokesperson of the city hall, Helena Kyselá, informed ČTK today.

"We are conducting a complete reconstruction of the cultural monument. The goal is to return the building to its historical appearance. The entire viewpoint will undergo reconstruction from the basement to the roof, and the building will be connected to new water and sewage connections," said the spokesperson.

The lookout tower, built between 1888 and 1889 according to the design of prominent Viennese architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer, must be completely re-insulated, new ventilation floors will be constructed, the brick façade will be renovated, and multifunctional spaces will be created inside. An annex built later will be removed, and the asphalt surrounding the building will be replaced with stone paving. The area will also feature the installation of small furniture, such as benches or bicycle racks.

"Currently, demolition work is being carried out mainly inside the building, insulation, and internal installations are underway," added Kyselá.

The total costs for the reconstruction will largely be covered by grants from the Integrated Territorial Development Plan for the restoration of tangible cultural heritage and historical buildings. The city has already submitted a grant application and is expected to receive 85 percent from European Union funds and five percent from the state budget.