Petřínská rozhledna

Thursday 5 Oct 2023 was finally a free day to wander. So we wandered across the Most Legií (Legion Bridge) to the west side of the R. Vltava and then took the Ujezd-Petřín funicular railway (CZK60 pp) up the hill to Petřín.

There are gardens at the peak, but the main attraction is a Petřínská rozhledna (Petřín Lookout Tower), which was built in 1891 inspired by the Eiffel Tower. There are 299 wooden steps to the upper viewing platform wound externally around the central spine (which houses an elevator) in a pair of helixes – one of which is for ascent and one of which is for descent.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/qpTGUtx4SDS7kvmL7

Having paid for the pleasure (CZK220 pp) I had to remind myself all the way up that it was made of iron, properly fixed together with rivets, and there was no way I would be able fall off. But then the wind at my back was strong and I most certainly didn’t like that. And then at the upper viewing platform, which is a kind of dove-cote with windows (very clean inside and outside), some of which were open, I could feel the tower waggling in the wind. And that gave me the heeby-jeebies.

 While the view of Prague and Bohemia beyond was without compare, I was glad to complete the descent, and move to beyond 63.5 metres from the base.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petřín_Lookout_Tower