Smrk, Observation tower in Lázně Libverda, Czech Republic.
Smrk is a 23-metre steel observation tower on the summit of Smrk (1124 m), the highest peak of the Czech part of the Jizera Mountains, a few hundred metres from the Polish border. It was built to the design of architect Jan Duda and opened on 18 September 2003.
A wooden tower originally stood at this location starting in 1892 and withstood mountain conditions for many years. The current metal structure eventually replaced the older tower, providing visitors with a more modern viewing experience.
The wooden tower opened on 21 August 1892 before 2,000 spectators, with the anthems of Austria-Hungary and Germany played at the close of the ceremony. Its builder, the Nové Město carpenter Franz Fritsch, then ran a refreshment hut at the summit, later with lodging. In 2009 a scaled wooden copy of the original tower was built in Prague Zoo under the name Obora.
The observation platforms are accessible year-round from Lázně Libverda through marked hiking trails that are well-maintained. Wearing proper footwear is recommended as trail conditions vary depending on the season and weather.
The wooden tower that stood here from 1892 was so popular that up to 18,000 visitors climbed it in a single year. A reduced wooden copy of that original tower was built in Prague Zoo in 2009 and named Obora; since 2014 another copy stands on Moravský kopec near Holčovice.
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