Milíř, Observation tower in Vysoká nad Labem, Czech Republic.
Milíř is a triangular wooden tower with steel connecting elements, set on a reinforced concrete foundation slab on Milířský hill at 285 m above sea level east of Vysoká nad Labem. Inside, a galvanized spiral staircase winds along a central shaft past three viewing platforms; the tower is 31 m tall, the highest platform at 27 m is reached by 160 steps.
A wooden triangulation tower with ladder access stood here until it was demolished in 1948. The Civic Association for the Restoration of the Milíř Lookout Tower was founded in 2005, obtained a building permit in 2009, and the foundation stone was blessed on 22 June 2011. The new tower opened on 12 October 2013.
The tower's name comes from the Czech word for a charcoal kiln, a pile of wood burned slowly to make charcoal; such a milíř gave the hill its name. The present tower was opened on 12 October 2013 and received an honourable mention in the 2014 Building of the Year competition of the Hradec Králové Region.
The tower stands about 300 metres from the bus turning point; from there a lane between houses and an unmarked path lead to it. The climb to the top platform at 27 metres uses 160 steps on an internal galvanised spiral staircase. Check the municipality's website for opening hours before setting out.
In spring 2021 a great spotted woodpecker pecked cavities into the wooden columns and nested in one of them. The damaged parts were removed and replaced in 2022, and the tower reopened to visitors in July 2022.
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