Minaret in Lednice, Observation tower in Lednice, Czech Republic
The Minaret in Lednice is a 64.8-metre tower: a one-storey rectangular base with arcades and eight rooms, above which rise two octagonal stages and a cylindrical shaft. Three galleries are reached by 302 steps, and the top is a lantern with a dome and gilded crescent.
Construction of the tower took place between 1797 and 1804 under commission from Prince Alois Joseph I of Liechtenstein. Architect Josef Hardtmuth designed this unusual structure as part of the aristocratic estate.
The interior was decorated in Turkish style in 1868 by the Viennese painter Josef Geyling, with colourful geometric and floral motifs. Walls and floors carry Moorish designs and Quran quotations, and the shahada stands above the portal. The eight ground-floor rooms once displayed hunting trophies and souvenirs from Asia and Africa.
The stairs can be steep and narrow, so wear comfortable shoes and allow time for the climb. On clear days, visitors can see up to 90 kilometers away and even glimpse Vienna.
The marshy ground required 500 oak piles topped by a grid of 96 heavy trunks, and Hardtmuth designed a self-supporting scaffold to hoist the stone blocks. The tower's top is crowned by a gilded crescent-shaped weathervane.
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