Drtinova rozhledna, Wooden observation tower in Chotilsko, Czech Republic
Drtinova rozhledna is a 21-metre wooden tower on Besedná hill near Chotilsko, with a 4x4-metre viewing platform. Its final design, including the surroundings, was by engineer Jiří Ondřich. A small exhibition on local history occupies the ground floor, and the tower is part of the Drtinova stezka educational trail, offering views over the Central Bohemian landscape around the Slapy reservoir.
The first tower on Besedná hill opened on 11 July 1926: a 22-metre lookout in the shape of a Hussite watchtower, built by local hiking enthusiasts and named after František Drtina. After the communist coup of 1948 it was no longer maintained, likely because of Drtina's role in Masaryk's government and his son Prokop's in Beneš's, and it was demolished in 1967. A renewal initiative began in 1996, the final plan was completed in 2006, and the new tower was built in 2014–2015 and opened at Easter 2015.
The tower bears the name of Professor František Drtina from nearby Hněvšín and incorporates design elements reminiscent of traditional Hussite watchtowers.
The tower is freely accessible only in summer and completely closed in winter. It stands on Besedná hill near Chotilsko and is part of the Drtinova stezka educational trail, so visitors can combine the climb with a marked learning path.
The tower's design is structurally similar to the Boubín lookout tower in the Šumava mountains. The first tower on Besedná, opened in 1926, was a 22-metre-high lookout shaped like a Hussite watchtower; the present 21-metre wooden structure was built in 2014–2015 and opened at Easter 2015.
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