Heřmanická rozhledna, Observation tower in Heřmanice, Czech Republic.
Heřmanická rozhledna is a wooden observation tower north of Heřmanice, built to a design by the Liberec architects' group Mjölk. It is 23.7 metres tall with a diameter of five metres, stands on 48 legs and uses 30 cubic metres of larch wood. Two separate staircases of 99 steps each lead to the viewing platform at 22.3 metres, one for going up and one for coming down.
Designed by the Liberec architects' group Mjölk, the tower was planned for 2009, but a lack of funds and the summer floods of 2010 delayed construction. The first visitors climbed it in September 2012; the 3.6 million CZK cost was covered by European Union funds.
The tower's shape, resembling a cucumber or the male organ, is openly acknowledged by its designers, the Liberec architects' group Mjölk. The name Heřmanická rozhledna simply links the structure to the village of Heřmanice, north of which it stands. In 2014 the news portal iDNES.cz listed it among the possible curiosities of the Liberec Region.
The tower is easily accessible via marked trails that connect to local walking paths in the area. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes since reaching the platform involves climbing stairs.
The tower's 48 legs support a structure of 30 cubic metres of larch wood, which is meant to turn grey over time. Its two 99-step staircases are split by direction, as at Prague's Petřín tower.
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