Schillerova rozhledna

Schillerova rozhledna is a stone lookout tower standing on a hill above the small town of Kryry in western Bohemia, on the very spot where the Kozihrady castle once stood. It's one of the more interesting viewpoints in the Žatec and Podbořany area, tying together local history with sweeping views of several mountain ranges at once.

Where does the name come from?

The tower was built between 1905 and 1906 to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of the German poet and playwright Friedrich Schiller, and it was named after him — its original German name was Schillerwarte. The design came from Alois Kaiser, a successful Viennese architect and builder, who gave the structure a sturdy yet decorative, historicizing look typical of lookout towers from that era.

How was it built?

Construction used around 95,000 bricks, 60 cartloads of sand, and 15 cartloads of granite stone. Part of the material came directly from the ruins of the nearby Kozihrady castle, a detail that symbolically links the new tower to the history of the ground it stands on. Reaching the top means climbing 122 steps, worth keeping in mind when planning a visit, especially with children or anyone less used to stairs.

What can you see from the tower?

The elevated position above Kryry gives one of the broader panoramas in the region. On a clear day, visitors can pick out the Doupov Mountains, the Ore Mountains (Krušné hory), the Czech Central Uplands with the distinctive peak of Milešovka, Hradiště hill, the Džbán tableland, the ruins of Petrohrad castle, and even distant Klínovec with its own lookout tower. Spotting that many recognizable regional landmarks from a single viewpoint is unusual for a tower of this size.

How to get there and when to visit?

The lookout tower sits on a hill right above Kryry, so the walk up from the town center typically takes somewhere around fifteen to twenty-odd minutes uphill. It's currently open to visitors on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays during the spring, summer, and autumn months, so it's worth checking the current schedule before heading out, since access is seasonal and limited to specific days of the week. Outside the season or on weekdays, climbing to the top may not be possible, though the tower itself and the surrounding hill remain open for a walk.

Frequently asked questions

When was Schillerova rozhledna built? Between 1905 and 1906, to mark the 100th anniversary of Friedrich Schiller's death.

How many steps lead to the top? 122 steps lead from the base of the tower to the observation platform.

What views does the top offer? Among others, the Doupov Mountains, the Ore Mountains, the Czech Central Uplands with Milešovka, Hradiště hill, the Džbán tableland, the ruins of Petrohrad castle, and Klínovec with its own lookout tower.

Is the tower open year-round? No — it's open to visitors on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays during spring, summer, and autumn, so it's best to check current opening times before visiting.