Petrine Tower

An idea becomes reality

In 1889, the whole world looked to Paris and those who could afford it tried to visit the Paris World's Fair that year. Visitors to the World's Fair were especially fascinated by the famous Eiffel Tower. Numerous Czechs also made their way to the French capital and were impressed by the extraordinary building. After these impressions, it was decided to create a similar landmark for the city of Prague.

Based on the idea, an association for the construction of a lookout tower was founded and shortly afterwards the association received a plot of land for the project from the city administration. For the 1:5 replica of the Eiffel Tower, the National Jubilee Fair planned for 1891 had an accelerating effect. Thus, the project was brought into focus in 1890 and the necessary funds were raised. By March 1891, construction had already begun. The plans for the observation tower inspired by the Eiffel Tower were drawn up by the architect Vratislav Pasovský and the engineers František and Julius Souček.

The opening could be celebrated already on August 20, 1891. 175 tons of iron were used. Unlike its model, the Petrin Tower has an octagonal shape. The viewing platform is located at a height of 52 m and the tower itself has a height of 63.5 m. The tower can be reached by climbing to the top of the tower. To reach the observation cabin, visitors had to climb 299 steps. Another festive event took place on December 19, 1891, when the tower was illuminated with electric light for the first time.

A visit to the Petrin Tower

Today, visitors have a choice of how to reach the observation deck. Among other things, a cable car runs from the Újezd tram stop to Petrin Hill. Those who want to hike the mountain in the traditional way should expect a 45-minute walk. However, this is worth it as the surroundings are very idyllic. From 1999 to 2002, a restoration of the Petrin Tower was carried out. This involved replacing the old spiral staircases with two new wooden ones, and installing a new lift to enable the elderly and people with physical disabilities to visit the viewing cabin. The former observation balcony was also converted into a walkway so that wheelchair users can also enjoy the breathtaking view over Prague without any problems.

Those who visit the Petrin Tower to enjoy the great view over the city and the charming landscape of Bohemia can also combine this with a visit to the Mirror Maze. This landmark was also built as part of the Prague Jubilee Fair in 1891 and was originally located near the Industrial Palace Corner. As early as 1893, the building was moved to Petrin Hill, where it is now a second attraction, delighting tourists from all over the world. While the Petrin Tower was inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Maze was inspired by the Mirror Maze of the Vienna Prater.