Beroun wants to improve the view from the lookout tower on Děd hill

Beroun – Beroun wants to improve the view from the lookout tower on Mount Děd. In connection with the planned renovation, it is considering the construction of a structure that would allow tourists to climb to a greater height, informed the city's spokesperson Jitka Soukupová to ČTK. The lookout tower, built 130 years ago, is closed due to its poor condition.

The city has commissioned a technical report on the condition of the lookout tower, which is nearing completion. Preliminary surveys have revealed that the tower and part of the staircase are built on solid rock, making the structure relatively stable. However, the staircase is in particularly poor condition. External workers have made repairs in the past, but failed to create a drainage system for rainwater, leading to further deterioration due to leaking.

There are also faults in the internal spiral staircase, but these will require less intervention. The metal extension above the staircase will need to be completely dismantled and replaced with a new one. The battlements are also in poor condition. For decades, water has been leaking into them, causing the masonry of the lookout tower to gradually deteriorate from the top down.

The city will address how to save the lookout tower on Děd. It intends to preserve the basic shape of the structure as much as possible. At the same time, it will discuss with architects the construction of a supplemental structure that would allow visitors to climb to a greater height for a better view of the landscape. Currently, tall trees obstruct the view. Given the technical condition of the tower, it would represent a larger investment that must be approved by the city council.

The summit of Děd was a frequent destination for Sokol excursions and patriotic pilgrimages in the 19th century. The cornerstone of the building was ceremoniously laid on May 1, 1893, and on September 17 of the same year, the lookout tower was opened. It was built by the Czech Tourist Club (KČT) for three thousand gold coins. Later, it was owned by the national enterprise Turista and ČSTV. During the restitutions in the 1990s, KČT sought to regain ownership, but it turned out that it was not registered in the land registry and had no owner. According to the law, it thus fell to the state, and in 2013, the city acquired it.

Beroun has another lookout tower as well. On the City Hill, not far from the center, there has been a concrete observation point since 1936, offering a view of the town. Nearby, tourists can visit the bear enclosure from the popular animated series Méďové by director Václav Chaloupka. From the original trio, only Kuba remains; his siblings Vojta and Matěj have already died.