Meteorological column in Liberec, Meteorological column in Staré Město, Liberec, Czech Republic

The Meteorological Column in Liberec is a Neo-Renaissance structure from 1898, standing on the edge of the pavement before the rear northeast side of the Town Hall, directly opposite the F. X. Šalda Theatre. Its metal weather box, the Hortensia model by Wilhelm Lambrecht of Göttingen, sits on a hexagonal granite plinth with a foot and stepped cornice. The box has lockable glass display cases, a sheet-metal mansard roof with sunflower appliqués, and a triangular top crowned by a cone, above which a rod carries a circle with a Sun and Moon motif.

The column was erected in 1898 next to Liberec's newly completed town hall at the initiative of members of the Liberec Mountain Association. The weather cabinet was supplied by Wilhelm Lambrecht of Göttingen, a specialist in such Wettersäulen. It belongs to the peak period of public weather columns in Central Europe, roughly 1880 to 1914.

The column reflects a 19th-century belief in bringing scientific observation into everyday public life, allowing ordinary people to see how weather was measured and understood. It shows how cities valued practical knowledge about the environment.

The column stands on the edge of the pavement in front of the north-east rear side of the Town Hall on náměstí Dr. Edvarda Beneše, directly opposite the F. X. Šalda Theatre. The display cases are lockable and the instruments sit behind glass, so bring a light for overcast days. A second meteorological column has stood in Lidové sady since 1924.

The column is a rare example of a functioning 19th-century measurement device that is still exposed to the elements today. It offers insight into the craftsmanship and durability of scientific equipment from that era.