Klet

Klet rises to 1087 metres above Cesky Krumlov and is the highest point of the Blansky les, a block of beech and fir forest protected as a landscape area. On top stands the Josef tower, built in 1825 by Prince Josef Schwarzenberg, which is the oldest stone lookout tower in Bohemia and gives a view south to the Alps in clear weather. Beside it is the Klet Observatory, opened in 1957, which specialises in astrometry of small bodies - it has discovered a large number of asteroids and is one of the more productive European stations for follow-up observation of near-Earth objects, with a KLENOT telescope built for the purpose. The observatory runs public viewing sessions in summer. A chairlift, one of the longer ones in the country, runs up from Krasetin, and there are marked trails from Cesky Krumlov taking a couple of hours.

The landscape

• The Josef tower of 1825 - the oldest stone lookout tower in Bohemia.
• Klet Observatory - an asteroid-hunting station with public summer sessions.
• Alps on the horizon - visible south in clear weather.
• A chairlift - one of the longer ones in the country, from Krasetin.

When to go

May to September. Half a day.

What to expect

The summit is often in cloud. The chairlift is seasonal and stops in wind. Observatory sessions must be booked and depend on weather. The tower closes in winter.

Nearby

Cesky Krumlov is eight kilometres below; the Blansky les surrounds it.

Key facts