Prague landmark built 135 years ago: Petřín gained its tower and funicular
One hundred and thirty-five years ago, the Petřín Lookout Tower opened and the Petřín funicular began operating. The new attractions transformed Prague's skyline and remain among the city's most popular landmarks.
The summer of 1891 brought one of the biggest changes to Prague's skyline. Within just a few months, two new structures appeared on Petřín Hill - a lookout tower and a funicular railway, built to impress visitors to the General Jubilee Exhibition. They quickly became a sensation. Crowds flocked to the hill from July, when the funicular opened, and even more arrived after the tower welcomed its first visitors a few weeks later.
Prague's little “Eiffel Tower” built in record time
From the outset, the Petřín Lookout Tower was intended as a smaller version of Paris's Eiffel Tower. Built at a scale of one to five, it stands 58.7 metres tall, with 299 steps leading to the top. Remarkably, it was completed just two years after the Eiffel Tower made its debut in Paris. It symbolised Prague’s confidence and technological ambitions.
Water-powered funicular: an engineering marvel with everyday challenges
The funicular, built to carry visitors comfortably up the hill, was the longest of its kind in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Constructed in just five months, it originally operated using water ballast. The system, however, had its drawbacks: water froze in winter, and pumping such large volumes reduced water pressure in homes at the foot of the hill in the Újezd district. Even so, the funicular was an immediate success.
A century of closures and comebacks
The First World War brought operations to a halt, and the funicular did not reopen until 1932, when it was electrified and its route extended. Another long closure followed after landslides damaged the line in 1965. Service resumed only in 1985. Since then, the funicular has carried more than 55 million passengers, making it one of the Czech Republic's most visited attractions.
Present day: new cars, a rebuilt track and a grand reopening in September
Petřín is not just about history. The funicular has been out of service since 2024 while undergoing a major reconstruction after heavy rainfall damaged the track. The new carriages were designed by the Czech studio Anna Marešová Designers and manufactured by the Austrian-Swiss group Doppelmayr/Garaventa. Trial runs are already under way, with passenger service expected to resume in September.
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