Praděd, the highest mountain in Moravia at 1,492 metres above sea level, has been a popular tourist destination since the second half of the 19th century.
Efforts by a local tourist association to build an observation tower in the Jeseníky Mountains date back to the turn of the 20th century. After numerous challenges, construction finally began on June 30, 1904.
Completed in July 1914, the original stone tower stood 32.5 metres tall and 14.5 metres wide. Its impressive appearance resembled the imposing tower of a medieval Gothic castle.
Today's modern structure stands on three supporting pillars, one of which houses a restaurant and hotel. The tower reaches an impressive height of 162 metres.
From the observation deck, situated at an altitude of 1,563 metres above sea level, visitors can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the entire Jeseníky mountain range.
On exceptionally clear days, it is even possible to see the distant silhouettes of the High Tatras, Little Fatra and Greater Fatra mountain ranges in Slovakia.
An interesting fact is that the top of the tower reaches the highest elevation of any man-made structure in the Czech Republic.