80 years ago, the lookout tower on Velký Blaník was opened to the public

Prague - The observation tower built on Velký Blaník, which stands at 638 meters above sea level and is a natural landmark of the Blaník Protected Landscape Area, was officially opened 80 years ago, on June 4, 1941. The wooden tower, shaped like a Hussite lookout, covered with shingles, is 30 meters tall, and one ascends to the viewpoint at a height of 25 meters via 107 steps.

The observation tower is the third in succession. The first lookout was commissioned at the top of Velký Blaník in 1835 by Cardinal František Count Schönborn, and besides providing a view of the landscape around Blaník, it also served as a triangulation point for visitors.

In 1914, Archbishop Lev Skrbenský of Hříště built a new observation tower on Blaník – a 20-meter tall tower of wooden open construction, accessible only by ladders. However, it quickly deteriorated and collapsed in 1936 under the force of the wind.

The current observation tower was prepared by the Czech Tourist Club in 1939, and its design was created by Alexander Hanuš. It was completed during the Protectorate in 1941, but wartime events influenced its appearance when the construction of a belfry above the entrance was abandoned at the decision of the Ministry of Commerce.