Classic South Bohemia
Kleť — Josefova věž lookout and cable car
Autem 27 min
A trip to Kleť can combine the cable car and the view from the oldest stone lookout in Bohemia, standing since 1825. Prince Schwarzenberg had it built for his family. Its shape closely recalls the tower from the Schwarzenberg coat of arms.
On the summit of Kleť, the highest hill of Blanský les, stands since 1825 the oldest stone lookout in Bohemia — not built by the town or a hiking club but by Prince Josef of Schwarzenberg for his family's private use. It was called Josefova věž. One thing almost nobody notices: the Schwarzenberg arms show a silver tower with battlements on a hill — and the lookout looks much the same. The prince likely had his own arms built life-size in the landscape.
Practical details
- Autem 27 min
- Opening hours: lanovka v červenci a srpnu každou hodinu 9:00–17:00, o víkendech do 18:00. Rozhledna podle počasí, uvádí se St–Pá 12:00–18:00 a So–Ne 9:00–17:00
On site
The lookout stands on the very summit, a short walk above the observatory (story), cylindrical with crenellated battlements — worth comparing with the Schwarzenberg arms on your phone. From the gallery, in clear weather, you see part of Šumava, Budějovicko, Novohradské hory and Temelín; with really clean air the Alps appear on the horizon. Worth trying: most visitors never see the Alps because they are visible only a few days a year. You can also compare two buildings on one hill — the 1825 stone tower and the modern observatory dome, minutes apart and one hundred and seventy years apart.