The Zizkov TV Tower in Prague is the city's operating television station and tourist attraction, around which a mass of dark legends and ambiguous rumors have been circulating since its inception.

Cast-iron babies, trampled Jewish bones, increased electromagnetic radiation - no matter how they frighten our tourist brother, you still want to look at Prague from a bird's eye view, because the spectacle is worth it!

TV tower, which in Czech is called Žižkovský vysílač and is the main part of the complex Tower Park Prague, not included in the popular tourist routes. However, it can be seen from almost anywhere in Prague.

High level…controversy

The whole structure of glass, concrete, metal and who knows what else, looks like a rocket. It consists of 3 pillars, united by viewing platforms. For the past 20 years, since the appearance of the tower, the natives have not been able to come to a common denominator in assessing this futuristic structure. Some people like the tower in Zizkov, others cannot stand it, calling it "an ugly socialist misunderstanding." The creation of Václav Aulický, despite the negative, has become a real new symbol of Prague and a fashionable place for young people.

The TV tower in Prague is visible from everywhere - literally, from any exact city. And not everyone is happy about it.

To get to the very top and see with your own eyes the red roofs of Prague and wonderful landscapes from a height, you need to overcome 93 meters. It is at this height that the observation deck is located.

And the height of the tower together with the spire is 216 meters. There are no buildings higher in the Czech Republic. By the way, by world standards, this is not so much for a tower. The weight of the building is almost 12 thousand tons.

Babies are crawling...

If climbing stairs is not your forte, you can use the high-speed elevator, which takes tourists to three viewing rooms and a cafe in just 20 seconds.

The elevator has already brought someone to the fourth floor.

For fun, you can try crawling up the TV tower like "Babies" David Cherny (David Černý), however, this method of lifting is unlikely to be approved by the security of the television center. This scandalous sculptor creates controversy throughout the Czech capital. Statues of his authorship are found in parks, on the streets and avenues of Prague. So they took root on the TV tower. And, unlike the television center itself, they evoke exceptionally positive emotions among the native Praguers.

In the first year for the winter season, faceless babies were taken down from a height, afraid that, under the weight of snow, they would bombard the area under the tower. But then the author of the sculptures found sponsors who helped to securely fix the "children" on a vertical surface. By the way, the favorite entertainment of tourists is counting "kids", because this information is rarely found in guidebooks.

Now you will be puzzled by the question - but really, how many babies are there? An Internet search does not provide a direct answer to this question today. They probably don't want to reveal the secret. But we will definitely tell you everything - at the end of this article.

Why do Praguers hate the TV tower?

There are at least three reasons.

1. The Zizkov TV Tower is unusual in shape. There is no smell of classics here, and even more so of baroque style. The structure resembles a launch complex at a cosmodrome and contrasts sharply with the architectural ensembles of Prague. Perhaps that is why the tower has so many enemies among the Praguers. They even joke: “In Prague, you should definitely climb the TV tower, because this is the only place where you can’t see it yourself!”

2. The second version of dislike is this: they don’t like the tower due to its location, because she stands on the bones. Indeed, there has been a Jewish cemetery here since the 18th century. Under the TV tower at the time of its construction there were a number of graves. Radical residents of Prague call the construction on the site of the churchyard sacrilege and unanimously dislike the erected structure. By the way, the cemetery still exists - it is located right next to residential buildings, and such a neighborhood does not bother anyone.

3. They do not add popularity to the TV tower and are very high prices to the entrance to the observation room, the size of the average check in the local restaurant and a paid telescope.

Views and sounds of the Prague TV tower: observation deck

There are not many visitors to the tower. Crowds at the box office and at the telescope are excluded. You can always sit in cozy hanging cradles on the observation deck and look at the impressive landscapes of the Czech Republic without fuss, listening to the sounds of the city. "Orloj", the bells of St. Vitus Cathedral, the rustle of the Vltava waters and the noise of the subway will help to create a complete image of the capital of the Czech Republic. In memory of a wonderful place, you can buy a coin in a souvenir machine.

The tower is illuminated at night. Most of the time she shines.

Restaurant on the tower and bar "Oblaka"

The appearance and interior decoration of the tower refer to the science fiction of the 60s. For example, the reception has the shape of a huge glass ball with legs. And the high-rise restaurant (66 meters above the city) and the Oblaka bar are the most fashionable establishments in Prague. The prices here are great.

A spiral staircase leads up from the restaurant. Climbing its steps, you can get acquainted with the towers of dozens of countries around the world. Each tower, its location and height are engraved on a separate step. But the Prague residents did not find a place for the Russian Ostankino tower. This staircase leads to the hotel.

Hotel with 6 (!) stars

There is a meteorological laboratory and a unique luxury hotel with 6 stars on the Zizkovskaya Tower. The only room with huge panoramic windows is loved by newlyweds. And although the cost of pleasure is 30 thousand crowns, there are always those who wish. The interior of the hotel is made in high-tech style. Prague from a height of 70 meters here you can admire even from the bathroom.

How to get to the "ugliest tower"?

The Zizkovskaya Tower is visible from afar, but it is not easy to get to it. If you are not by car, you will have to walk a couple more blocks from any transport. From the metro station Jiřího z Poděbrad to the tower, you need to walk to the northeast.

Just in case, the exact address is: Mahlerovy sady 1, 130 00 Praha 3.

Trams 5, 9 and 26 will take you to the Lipanská stop, and from there - also a walking race. Here we have arrived!

Updated 02/12/2020 Views 497 Comments 0

One of the sights of Prague is the television tower, which I call “Tivy Tower”, because the Czech pronunciation (Zhizhkov is something there) has not yet taken root with me. Looking ahead, I immediately recommend you this area for living in case you are not enthusiastic about the tourist center of Prague. This area is quite comfortable, quiet, calm, and the prices in cafes and restaurants are lower. But getting from here is not so difficult. Only 10 minutes by tram to the same. There is also a metro in this area. And now back to the TV tower in Prague.

For all its strangeness, the tower is the best viewpoint of the city, from where you can view all corners of Prague with comfort and a camera. 360 degree view. Although it should be noted that the central part is far from here and you can recognize the main sights only by silhouettes.

Not the most popular attraction, so there are no crowds, which is great. Telescopes and hanging chairs in the style of "People in Black" are installed on the observation deck, which, together with a small number of visitors, makes the observation deck very cozy and interesting place for visiting.

I traditionally came before sunset to take photos of daytime and nighttime Prague at the same time. So there is a problem with night photos: the light of the internal illumination (blue and red) is reflected in the glasses and all this can be seen in the photo. Plus glass is unclear and dirty. But during the day it doesn't really bother me.

In the evening, the tower outside begins to shine "with all the colors of the rainbow" - the Czech flag lights up. If with clouds in the sky, then "fire" looks. Like something in a fantasy movie.

At the top of the tower there is a restaurant "Oblaka" and your seat (i.e. the size of the window) will depend on the amount of the order. Drinks (bar) have smaller windows and a worse view. A full meal will have a full-length window and a great panoramic view. On the day of my arrival (Friday) in the afternoon, there were no seats in the restaurant. They said that it was necessary to book in advance. Take note of this moment. Therefore, I limited myself only to the observation deck. But according to reviews, the restaurant is expensive, and the quality is average. So I didn't get upset.

The restaurant down on the ground "Mimino" is also not ice according to reviews. So it is better to come here only to the observation deck.

History reference

The Zizkov TV Tower is considered the tallest building in Prague, in particular, and in the entire Czech Republic - globally. It was designed in 1985 - it was from there that this “unprecedented” futurism of the era of socialist realism came to us, which was brought to life already in 1992. And against the backdrop of a beautiful city, this tower does not look like the word “at all”.

In 2000, as an experiment and to "decorate" the tower, ten sculptures of crawling, faceless, black babies were placed on it. On all the main resources dedicated to Prague, you can see the tower with babies in the photo. And in my pictures they are no longer there - they were removed in 2017 for reconstruction and never returned. The tower isn't exactly the most amazing building, and these babies are like parts of the horror game Silent Hill, although I probably would have liked it.

By the way, the building occupies some top rating among the ugliest buildings in the world, which somehow inexplicably made it the pride of the Czech Republic (but this is inaccurate). The height is 260 meters and the tower can be seen from almost all parts of Prague. There is even such a joke that the best views of Prague are from the Zizkov Tower because the Zizkov Tower is not visible from it.

The Zizkov TV Tower is located in Prague, in the Zizkov district, hence the name.
The tower began to be built in 1985 back in socialist Czechoslovakia, work was completed in 1992. Its height is 216 meters, making it the tallest structure in the Czech Republic. The total mass of the tower is about 12 thousand tons. It is a member of the World Federation of High-rise Towers.
Among international reviews, you can find its description both as a local landmark and as the ugliest building. The proximity of the tower to the Jewish cemetery, and the electromagnetic background, and the violation of the general panorama of Prague are also criticized.
The Zizkov TV Tower consists of three concrete pillars, which are connected by transverse platforms with television and radio broadcasting equipment, a restaurant, a cafe and observation rooms located on them. In appearance, the tower looks like a rocket on a launch pad.
The figures of crawling children attract attention here. This unique composition "Babies" was created by David Cherny in 2000.
The elevator takes visitors to the restaurant at a height of 66 meters, and from there to the observation deck at a height of 93 meters. The view from it is simply unique, visibility reaches 100 km. The elevator moves at a speed of 4 m/sec.
A meteorological laboratory also operates in the Zizkov TV Tower.
During the construction of the tower, Praguers actively held protests. Many were dissatisfied with the 216-meter metallic “nail” that stood out too much against the backdrop of medieval Prague. The people dubbed such an ugly building a "rocket on takeoff."
The townspeople tried on a little with the look of a “rocket” when the famous sculptor David Cherny planted a dozen black baby dolls on the tower, “creeping” along the sheer supports. These cute cast-iron compositions have made old Prague one of the most innovative cities in Europe. Today, the Zizkov TV Tower in Prague has become the most important landmark of the city.
At night, the TV tower in Zizkov is beautifully illuminated. Basically, the illumination corresponds to the colors of the Czech flag, but from time to time they can change, for example, on the eve of holidays or during the seasons.
In the near future, the main TV Tower in Prague will be modified again, but this will mainly affect its interior. Some rooms are planned to be converted into apartments for living.
The Zizkov TV Tower has become a landmark for many tourists and a meeting place for locals.

Well, in 2000, the tower finally said goodbye to its so-called communist past, because it was established on it that, Tanechka?

Because it was installed on it, Tanechka?

The sculptures "Babies" from the modern Czech sculptor David Cherny were installed on it. Surely, you have often heard his name lately, as he created panels for the presidency of the Czech Republic in the European Union.

Thus, another scandalous sculpture "Entrop" was born. But this, of course, is a separate discussion. However, these babies crawling up and down the tower can be observed over the next 20 years, so organically they merged with the structure.

The most interesting thing is that when these kids were hung on the tower, in the winter of 2001 they were removed from there, because they were afraid that snow would begin to fall and they would fall down from there along with the snow and kill someone. But within a few months, the people of Prague had become so attached to the babies that they began an active campaign for their return, and soon the babies returned.

By the way, David Cerny is such a funny artist that he posted the following information on his website: “At the moment, the estimated period of babies on the tower is 10-20 years. That is, until they fall off on their own. Everyone hopes that doesn't happen, but who knows." These are the words that accompany his work.

Olga, have you noticed that all the babies crawling up the tower are without faces?

I've noticed, but I don't know why.

There was an anti-abortion campaign in the Czech Republic, and now, David Cerny found a solution to express his protest against abortion. He created babies without faces.

I think it's very thoughtful. But David Cerny is known for being not such a simple artist, and all his works have deep connotations. By the way, I must say that there is rarely a crush on the tower, and now an elderly couple is with us on the observation deck. We decided to ask them why they climbed this tower?

“We are here for the first time. In general, we are not from Prague, but from the city of Benešov near Prague. We have long wanted to come here, finally we succeeded, which we are very happy about. And we climbed the tower to see what kind of view of Prague opens from here, and we are not disappointed - it’s very beautiful!”

Well, probably, we have told you enough about the tower, and, in conclusion, perhaps, summing up, let's say that the tower is an honorary member of the World Federation of Tall Towers. By the way, here on the walls you can see photos of her "colleagues in the shop."

For example, the tower in Chicago, whose height is 444 meters, in Auckland, New Zealand - there the tower rises 328 meters above the ground, the tower in Melbourne, Australia, whose height is 270 meters, and, by the way, in the capital of Uzbekistan - in Tashkent, its height is 375 meters.

- We have already said that Praguers have different attitudes towards the tower, many residents of the city still do not like it and say that it offers the best view of Prague, since the tower itself is not visible from it. Incidentally, this saying is attributed to Guy de Maupassant, who said the same thing about the Eiffel Tower.

Perhaps it may be so, but, to be honest, this tower is deeply sympathetic to me, perhaps because I have no reminiscences with the communist past.

And I like it because babies crawl on it, and from socialist realism it turned into a surreal building.

Quite right, Tanechka. Well, on this optimistic note, we will probably say goodbye to you. By the way, we here, Tanya, did not perform one of our favorite rituals with you. Guess what?

Jump off the tower?

No, drink coffee! Because there is also a good restaurant. But we will leave this to the discretion of our radio listeners, who, perhaps, when visiting Prague, will want to visit it and have a cup of coffee here, enjoying the beautiful views of Prague.

And with that, we say goodbye! Olya Vasinkevich and Tanya Krzhelinova were with you. Let's hear!

The Zizkov TV Tower is the tallest building not only in Prague, but in the whole Czech Republic, and the most controversial. She is scolded and admired. Someone believes that this is a real masterpiece, while someone, on the contrary, calls it squalor. But be that as it may, the TV tower is popular not only among tourists, but also among local youth.

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Built in 1992, it is one of the few modern architectural masterpieces in Prague. Glass, metal and concrete in this warm old city are treated very wary, but in the age of scientific and technological progress, of course, you cannot do without them. Architect Vaclav Aulicki realized his most daring ideas and fantasies. The result was a complex that simultaneously resembles a spaceship, a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

Three pillars are united by the same number of viewing platforms, from where a fantastic view of the surrounding city blocks opens up. Especially at night when the lights are flickering all around. Beautiful at this time of day and the tower itself, illuminated by the colors of the Czech flag. No matter how negatively the locals treated the tower, it became one of the symbols of Prague. Today it is part of the Tower Park Praha complex and is not only a tourist and entertainment facility, but also a television center.

Babies on the walls

In order to reconcile the local residents and the Zizkov TV Tower a little, in 2000 they decided to decorate it a little. So ten bronze sculptures of crawling babies, made by the sculptor David Cherny, appeared on the supports. The 700-kilogram babies look very impressive. However, their role is not only aesthetic. The figures balance the structure, the places for them are chosen personally by the sculptor, moreover, in accordance with precise calculations. True, this moment is of little interest to tourists - after all, it is much more interesting to take a picture against the backdrop of the architectural masterpieces of modern Prague, which are not so many in the medieval city.

Restaurant and hotel in the TV tower

On one of the floors of the Tower, at a height of 66 meters, there is a restaurant and bar Oblaka. This is a popular place among local youth and tourists with rather high prices. However, finding such a place where you can drink a cocktail while admiring Prague from a bird's eye view will definitely not work in the Czech capital. In addition, you can take a break from the medieval color of the center and immerse yourself in the future - the interior is decorated in high-tech style and can be called futuristic.

Right in the center of the hall there is a small spiral staircase (on each of the 20 steps the names of other TV towers of the world are imprinted), which leads not just anywhere, but to the One Room Hotel. It consists of one single room, accommodation in which is not cheap. But from any room, including the bathroom, you can enjoy panoramic views of Prague. If you want to stay here, you need to book a room in advance, as it is simply wildly popular with newlyweds and just couples in love.

At a height of 68 meters above the ground

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Opening hours and ticket price

The observation deck and a small interactive exposition of the Zizkov Tower are open from 08-00 to 24-00. An adult entrance ticket will cost 200 kroons, a child ticket will cost 120 kroons. There is also a discount for students (upon presentation of the relevant document, a ticket can be bought for 140 kroons).

How to get on your own

Public transport does not go directly to the tower itself. The nearest metro station, Jiriho z Podebrad (Green Line) and the tram stop of the same name, which runs lines 11 and 13, are 250 meters away.