Plešivec lookout tower near Abertam

On the Plešivec hill, about 3 km southeast of Abertam, there is a brick lookout tower. It is about 25 km north of Karlovy Vary and is situated at an altitude of 1028 meters. It was officially opened to tourists on August 4, 1895.

The viewing platform is located at a height of 16 meters above the ground and a total of 66 steps lead to it. After overcoming them, you will get a view of the Slavkov Forest, the Ore Mountains and the Home Mountains.

From Abertam you can easily reach the lookout tower following the green tourist sign. This road is about 3 km long and leads further to Merklín.
Another tourist sign, connecting Jáchymov and Pstruží, is marked in blue and will also take you to Plešivec.
If you go here by car, it is possible to get directly to the lookout tower, along the road leading from Abertam to Boží Dar. The turnoff to Plešivec is well marked.

The lookout tower is open all year round between 10 am and 8 pm. The lookout tower is connected to a tourist cottage and the tower is accessed from the hotel dining room. The entrance to the lookout tower is opposite the bar.

The lookout tower in Plešivec is connected with a mountain hotel, which was built in 1895. The Society of Friends of Nature, which was founded in 1889, was behind its establishment. The aim of the members of this association was to establish a cottage with a lookout tower on the Plešivec hill. A public collection was even organized for this purpose. Visitors to all the inns could make a financial donation to the money box, which was located not only there but also in other buildings.

The land on which the cottage with the lookout tower stands was bought by the citizens of Abertam. In the autumn of 1894, material for the construction of a lookout tower was brought to Abertam, and during the winter it was transported up the hill by oxen. The foundation stone was laid on April 14, 1895. The building, which was completed in four months, was then designed by Johann Glaser.

The dominant feature of the then building was a lookout tower with a total height of 16 meters, built of granite stones. A small brick cottage was connected to the lookout tower.

Over the years, the entire building has undergone several modifications and extensions. The first took place in 1908, the next in 1926 and then in 1939. After the last modification, the original small cottage became a large mountain hotel, in which the lookout tower, which has dominated it until now, is almost lost.

Extensive reconstruction of the area took place in 1992-94. A parking lot was set up at the building and the overall appearance of the tower also changed. The original highest wooden part flowed into the lookout tower, and therefore it was demolished. Instead, the tower was equipped with a brick covered lookout with a steel railing. In addition, a superstructure, on which the antennas were placed, arches above it.

In 2010, two more rope centers were set up on the Plešivec hill.

The building is open to visitors all year round.

Author: Andrea Štyndlová