Observation Tower of the Church of St. James the Greater
The 53-meter-high observation tower is part of the late Gothic Church of St. James the Greater, located on Church Square. It is one of the most important and oldest monuments in Prachatice. From a height of 40 meters, it offers views over the town of Prachatice and its surroundings.
Additional information
The tower houses the Renaissance bell Salve, cast in 1521 by master Bartoloměj. It has a lower diameter of approximately 83.5 cm, a height of 63.5 cm, and weighs about 400–450 kg.
Do you know that...
…Did you know that the tower originally held the Poledník bell, probably from 1570 (approx. 600 kg), which was requisitioned during World War II in 1942, along with the so-called Pack Bell from the 14th or 15th century? This bell rang at 10 p.m. as a signal to close the town gates and was mounted in the window of the tower’s south side.
