Zlatý Chlum near Jeseník

You would find a stone lookout tower on the Zlatý Chlum hill, about 2.5 km to the east of Jeseník. It is located at an altitude of 875 meters and was officially opened to tourists on September 3, 1899.

146 steps lead to its viewing platform. From a height of 26 meters above the ground you will have a beautiful view of Kralický Sněžník, Rough Jeseník, Rychlebské Mountains and part of Poland.

Directly from Jeseník you can get to the lookout tower by following the red and blue tourist signs. This road is about 4.5 km long. If you are driving, you can park it at the cottage Čertovy kameny and from there walk about 1.5 km along the blue tourist sign.

If the weather is nice, the lookout tower is always open from 10 am to 6 pm. During the winter, however, you can only get here on weekends. However, the cottage is open all year round.

The construction of the Zlatý Chlum lookout tower was initiated by the Moravian-Silesian German Mountain Association, founded in 1881. The construction of the lookout tower began in 1894, but because there were not enough funds for the construction, it did not begin until five years later. The project was then developed by Eduard Zelenka, director of the stonemasonry school.

At the site where construction began, there used to be a small tourist hut, built in the 1950s. It was on its ruins that a new lookout tower began to be built. Its opening was scheduled for September 3, 1899.

Less than three years later, Medritzer's mountain hut was built near the lookout tower, which made it possible to visit the lookout tower even during the winter. Adolf Medritzer was responsible for its construction, he was also a member of the association, so the cottage was named after him.

A new road to Zlatý Chlum and a toboggan run were built in 1932. The runway operated here until the 1960s. After the Second World War, no one cared much about the lookout tower and the cottage, so over time they fell into disrepair. In 1955, the cottage also burned down.

The lookout tower was repaired and reopened in 1976. MNV Jeseník took care of this step. Shortly afterwards, the cottage was restored.

TJ Spartak Mikulovice, the then owner of the building, had a project prepared for the repair of the lookout tower in 2009. Cracks formed in it, it flowed into it, the plaster and pieces of walls fell, and overall it was in a very bad condition. The lower part of the building was completely reconstructed, the joints were repaired and a new wreath was built.

Author: Andrea Štyndlová