Liberec's Vratislavice again has an observation tower on Císařský kámen

Vratislavice nad Nisou - The Liberec district of Vratislavice nad Nisou has a lookout tower again on Císařský kámen hill after a quarter of a year. The original wooden one, which was already in unsuitable condition, was demolished by the town hall and replaced with a steel one clad in wood. Externally, it looks similar to the previous one but is three meters taller. The demolition of the old tower and the construction of the new one cost nearly 5.5 million crowns excluding tax, said Lukáš Pohanka (Mayors for the Liberec Region), the mayor of the Liberec urban district of Vratislavice.

"It's beautiful. I think it turned out well," he said. According to him, however, they will officially open the lookout tower only in spring. "We are still waiting for the occupancy approval. We believe we will have it by the end of November, but we want to wait for better weather before opening," he stated.

The original square all-wooden lookout tower on the hill between Vratislavice and Rádlo was built in 2009 for 1.8 million crowns. It quickly became a popular tourist destination. However, a service inspection this spring showed that the wooden structure was in critical condition. Since repairing it would not significantly extend the lifespan of the spruce wood building, the town hall decided to demolish the old tower and build a new one.

According to the mayor, they wanted to preserve its shape. "The architectural requirement was for it to look similar or almost identical. What we needed to change were the innards, to ensure they would last long-term so we wouldn't have to deal with the same issues we faced this year in ten or twelve years," said Pohanka.

The lookout tower is now three meters taller to provide a better view. It stands 21 meters tall and has 112 steps leading up. It offers views not only of Liberec and Jablonec nad Nisou but also of the Jizera Mountains, and on clear days, it is possible to see Sněžka and the Bohemian Paradise. The hill on which the lookout tower stands was originally called Špičák or Uhlířský vrh. It received the name Císařský kámen after the visit of Emperor Joseph II, who stopped there during his inspection tour. In 1779, the emperor appreciated the advantageous strategic location of the site, whose summit is 637 meters above sea level, and suggested building a fort there. However, representatives of the army rejected the proposal at that time.

According to the mayor, several improvements will still be made in the surrounding area of the lookout tower and at the viewpoint above in spring. "Down below, we will add a new information board, bike racks, benches, and up top we will place signs with descriptions of the surrounding landscape, as is customary elsewhere, so that people know what they are looking at," Pohanka added.