Situated in Mahler Gardens in Prague's working-class Zizkov district, the TV Tower is one of the most fascinating buildings in the Czech capital - an experience not to be missed. It's a voyage back in time, yet also forward into an alternative future - one planned by the Communists in the 1970s¹ that never came to full fruition. It's Prague's answer to London's BT Tower - a space-age rocket or needle 200 metres tall, conceived as a grand vision in 1978 and built between 1985 and 1992. Which, ironically, meant that the grand monument to the Communist technological future was only fully functional after the Velvet Revolution and the downfall of Communism - it has since acquired the nickname of 'Husak's finger'².

The TV tower is a crime against the old town, or the historical town, as it's very tall and on the horizon of the town, the value of which is that it has in scale very small spires and roofs and trees and hills. There wasn't such a big debate about when it was built because it was in a time when no debates were taking place. It was said to be inevitable because of the broadcasting of television.
- Martin Krise, an architect of the Club for Ancient Prague.

When it was built, the Tower was very unpopular among Prague residents - firstly, it was considered a modern eyesore casting a shadow over the Old Town; secondly, people suddenly found that the signals from West German TV stations had been jammed; and thirdly there were worries about the radioactivity given off by the transmitter. Eventually it was realised that there had been a mix up between radio waves and radioactivity – transmitting aerials don't give off radioactivity. Many still suspect that radio waves are dangerous to health, but researchers have yet to determine whether there is a hazard or not.

Babies

The only major addition to the tower since it was built is a very unusual art installation by Czech sculptor and artist David Černý. 'Miminka' ('Babies') consists of a dozen black sculptures of babies crawling up the Tower, installed during Prague's tenure as European City of Culture in 2000. They have been immensely popular, and helped to change the way many people feel about the Tower - a humorous addition to a once-threatening Communist monolith, reclaiming the building for the people of Prague. The babies were originally supposed to be there for a short time, but public support has ensured they will stay for at least ten years. Even preservationists like Martin Krise agree that David Černý's art has improved the appearance of the building.

The Future is the Best Place to Look at the Present

For the tourist, undoubtedly the best thing about the Prague TV Tower is the view. Unlike London's BT Tower³, for example, you can visit it, look at the view and even eat in the restaurant there. Once you've paid your small entry fee, there's an airport-style security check, and then express lifts whisk you⁴ to an observation platform 65 metres up. The next level⁵ houses the restaurant and café. The restaurant, which is more expensive, is on the side with the better views. The original decor is perfectly preserved, and that's what gives the place that 1970s Communist retro-futurist feeling - space-age yet dated at the same time: chrome, smoked-glass and red plush⁶. Like most restaurants in unusual locations, the value of eating there lies not in the cuisine, which is pretty standard Czech fare (only more expensive), but in the views, which are amazing. As well as a bird's eye panorama of Prague itself, there's a great view of Mount Ríp, and in suitable weather conditions, you can see places up to 100km away - including Plzen, where some of the best lager in the world is brewed.

Technical Information

The Tower is operated by České Radiokomunikace, the Czech national broadcaster. As well as broadcasting on 6 UHF radio channels and carrying the signal for three television channels⁷, it is the hub for Cable TV connections and is the command centre for the Paegas mobile phone services operated by RadioMobil. It also provides signals to co-ordinate Prague's ambulance and fire department services, and contains meteorological and environmental quality monitoring equipment.

Directions

The nearest Metro stop is the fantastically-named IP Pavlova station, on the red line (Line C), and tram numbers 4, 6, 10, 16, 22 and 23 pass nearby. Giving directions is pointless - if you can't find something that tall, you're wasting your time as a tourist in a foreign city! There is also an underground car park which is guarded around the clock - the entrance is in Fibichova Street.

Related Links

David Černý's website is an interesting read, and the 'Babies' section contains some very good photos of the installation on the Tower.