Liberec region set to buy landmark Ještěd hotel and tower

Regional officials announced Monday that the Liberec Region plans to purchase the landmark Ještěd hotel and transmitter from Czech Radiocommunications (ČRa) for CZK 181 million.

Under the deal, ČRa will pay an annual fee, estimated at CZK 3 million, for continued use of about one-third of the building for broadcasting and other services. The fee will be tied to inflation and could be adjusted after renovations, according to Liberec Governor Martin Půta.

An expert valuation of the property, prepared by Deloitte, is expected to be completed in August. The sale still requires final approval from the regional council, which is set to vote on the deal on Aug. 26.

Originally, the region planned to pay in installments and had budgeted CZK 25 million for the first payment. But Půta said the region now plans to cover the full amount in one payment using this year’s budget.

“It’s a financial decision,” he said. “We received an offer from ČRa that met our expectations. While we could take out a loan, we’ve decided to pay it all at once. We’re setting aside reserves to do that.”

ČRa had previously offered the site to the Ministry of Culture, but the state showed no interest. Several private investors, including foreign buyers, had also expressed interest, said ČRa director Miloš Mastník. However, the company prioritized selling to the region.

“For us, it’s essential that Ještěd ends up in responsible hands, ideally someone who will preserve the building and keep it open to the public,” Mastník said.

Ještěd, perched on a mountain above Liberec, opened in 1973 and is considered one of the most distinctive architectural landmarks in the Czech Republic.

Architect Karel Hubáček earned international acclaim for the project, including the prestigious Perret Award in 1969. In 2000, the public voted it the Czech Building of the 20th Century. CNN ranked it among the world's most "unbelievable" hotels in 2016.

Despite its iconic status, it has been a national cultural monument since 2006, the structure is in poor condition.

A full renovation is expected to cost around CZK 400 million. Půta said the region is in discussions with the national government about securing funding for the restoration, which could begin within the next decade.

ČRa has owned Ještěd since 2000, when it purchased the property for CZK 85 million. Since then, the company has spent tens of millions more on repairs and maintenance, but after more than 50 years of use, the building now requires major reconstruction.

The hotel and transmitter, which towers over Liberec at a height of 1,012 meters, is also listed on the UNESCO indicative list, a preliminary list of properties a country considers to be suitable for nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage List.