Horní les lookout tower

This iron lookout tower also serves as a mobile operator's transmitter and is located on a hill in the upper forest between the villages of Rovečné and Nyklovice, near the Vír reservoir and about 35 km east of Žďár nad Sázavou.

The lookout tower is located at an altitude of 765 meters and reaches a total height of 59 meters. A total of 201 steps lead to the viewing platform, located at a height of 38 meters. From the tower there is a beautiful view of Svratecká hornatina, part of Žďárské vrchy, Kralický Sněžník or Jeseníky.

You can reach the lookout tower on foot either from Nyklovice following the blue tourist sign or from Rovečné following the red tourist sign.

The lookout tower is open during the tourist season, ie from April to the end of October, every day.

This steel structure has stood on the Horní les hill since 2001. It is the highest peak of the Svratecká hornatina. However, the current lookout tower is not the only building that stood on this site.

In 1918, a measuring tower stood in this locality, which also served as a lookout tower. Since 1824, there has also been a trigonometric point. After 1936, a trigonometric mast 21 meters high was also built in the Upper Forest. However, it was demolished in 1954 due to its poor condition. In the years 1968-69, the last wooden tower with a height of 38 meters was built here. However, due to icing, part of the structure broke in 1974 and the torso of the tower was removed in 2000.

Eurotel Praha became the investor of the current tower, but the municipality of Rovečné gave the company the condition that an observation deck must also be built on the tower.

The new lookout tower was officially opened to tourists on April 19, 2002.

Author: Andrea Štyndlová