Accommodation near Petřín Lookout Tower Prague 1

Petřín Lookout Tower (Petřínská rozhledna)

The Petřín Lookout Tower (Czech: Petřínská rozhledna) is a 63.5 metre high steel framework tower in Prague, which strongly resembles the Eiffel Tower. Although it is much shorter than the Eiffel Tower, it stands atop a sizable hill, Petřín, so the top is at a higher altitude than that of the Eiffel Tower. The Petřínská rozhledna was built in 1891 and was used as an observation tower as well as a transmission tower. Today the Petřínská rozhledna is a major tourist attraction. The hill is roughly a half-hour walk up paths that get quite slippery when it snows, and the tower is a shorter but fairly tiring climb; however, the hill is served by a frequent funicular and the tower has an elevator for disabled persons.

The two observation platforms are accessible via 299 stairs in sections of 13 per stage running around the inside of the structure.

There is a gift shop and a small cafeteria on the main level. On the lowest level is a small exhibition area. Current exhibition displays Merkur Observation Towers and is held from March 6, 2013 to March 30, 2014.

Petrinska rozhledna versus Eiffel Tower

Petřínská rozhledna is often described as small version of the Eiffel Tower. In contrast to the Eiffel Tower, Petřínská rozhledna has an octagonal, not square, cross section. Further, it does not stand, as does the Eiffel Tower, on four columns of lattice steel. The whole area under its legs is covered with the entrance hall.

A similarity between the Eiffel Tower and Petřínská rozhledna is the design of the lowest cross beams in the form of round bows.

History

In 1889, members of the Club of Czech Tourists visited the world exposition in Paris and were inspired by the Eiffel Tower. They collected a sufficient amount of money and in March 1891 the building of the tower started for the General Land Centennial Exhibition. It was finished in only four months.

In 1953, a TV broadcasting antenna was installed on Petřínská rozhledna, the program feed performed by a directional radio antenna. This served as Prague's main TV signal provider until the opening of the Žižkov Television Tower in late 1992.

In 1999, the tower was completely renovated.