Klet' lookout tower in Blanský les
The oldest stone lookout tower in the Czech Republic with a height of 18 metres stands at the top of Klet' Mountain (1,083 m). In 1825, it was built by Prince Josef Schwarzenberg for the private use of his family. The tower has been serving the public since the second half of the 19th century.
The stone tower is the first building of its kind in Bohemia. Prince Josef Schwarzenberg had the tower built in the neo-Gothic style, flanked by battlements, and it was named Josef's Tower after him.
Between 1824 and 1825, the tower became a trigonometric point for cartographic work and was frequently visited by mapmakers. One-hundred years after the tower was founded, in 1925, a mountain hut was built on Kleť for the needs of tourists, whose patron was Princess Therese of Schwarzenberg.
What you can see here
In cold and clear weather, you can see the peaks of the Alps from here. Otherwise, you can admire the Českobudějovická pánev basin and the Třeboňská pánev basin, the Novohradské hory Mountains and a large part of the Šumava region between Český Krumlov and Prachatice from above.
The highest sundial in Bohemia is located near Therese's cottage. Inside the renovated cottage is an exposition of the nature of Blanský Forest. You can spend a pleasant holiday here, a few days or just sleep one night after a hardy hike. There are double rooms with private bathroom or more affordable beds in the hostel.
How to get to the lookout tower
A chairlift from Krasetín was built to Kleť in 1961 with a length of 1,732 m and an elevation of 346 m. In addition to the lookout tower, you can see a 172 m high television transmitter from 1977 and visit the highest observatory in Bohemia.
You can also hike to the Kleť lookout tower on foot along one of the many marked hiking trails. The most famous one leads from the Holubov train station along the green tourist trail and is about 5 km long. An equally interesting and beautiful route is the longer, but more comfortable yellow marked path from the Plešovice railway station.
Lookout tower opening hours
The lookout tower is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is an automatic ticket office and turnstile at the entrance. You can pay with banknotes in denominations of up to CZK 500, as well as with coins and credit cards.