Slunečná lookout

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• Observation deck
• Open 24 hoursEvery day
• Wheelchair accessparking lot
• Parking
• Official site
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• Czechia

A tower shaped like the vine country

Slunečná is not a generic lookout. It was designed by architects Ing. Martin Novák and Ing. Antonín Olšina, whose playful, geometrically clean towers—such as the hourglass-like Borůvka—can be found all over the Czech Republic. Here the signature is the tower's atypical, gently tilted silhouette, which leans subtly to one side in the direction of Velké Pavlovice, a quirk that makes it instantly recognizable and adds to its charm. Contemporary reports compared its overall shape to a bush of grapevine: a fitting homage to a town that sits at the heart of one of Moravia's most celebrated wine regions.↗↗↗

The build itself is a story of cross-border friendship. The tower and its surrounding area were created under a Czech–Slovak cooperation programme called "Look around and discover," with the Slovak town of Senica as partner; some 90% of the roughly 3.5–4 million crown cost was covered by that fund. The structure pairs warm timber with a steel spiral staircase and a reinforced-concrete core, ringed at its base by a plinth of white limestone brought from a quarry near Senica. Originally clad in larch, the tower received a major refresh in 2019 for its tenth birthday—new pressure-impregnated spruce posts, a restored viewing platform and a fresh lightning rod.↗↗↗

What you see from the platform

From the observation deck at about 240 metres above sea level, the land falls away in every direction and the tilt of the tower actually helps you get your bearings, since the platform juts out toward Velké Pavlovice itself. The most prized view is to the west: beyond the town you look over the broad, shimmering Mušov lakes to the unmistakable ridge of the Pálava hills, crowned by the ruins of Dívčí hrady, with the slender minaret of Lednice catching the eye when visibility is good.↗↗↗

Turn slowly and the rest of the wine country unfolds. To the northeast you can pick out the village of Bořetice and its own neighbouring lookout, only a couple of kilometres off; east lies Hodonín, southeast the wine village of Velké Bílovice and, far on the horizon, partner town Senica in Slovakia some 50 kilometres away. South you look toward Břeclav and the Austrian border, and on a clear day the slopes of the Slovak Carpathians appear in the distance. The panorama is broad enough that even the smaller surrounding lookouts become landmarks in the view—a satisfying find for anyone collecting towers.↗↗

The area among the vines

The tower is the centrepiece of a small tourist area called Nad Zahradami ("Above the Gardens"), laid out to feel like a slice of traditional Moravian wine country. Two low buildings styled after the region's typical wine cellars flank the tower: one holds the conveniences, the other a refreshment kiosk, a souvenir shop and a model wine cellar to peer into. There is a covered, shaded resting spot with bench-swings beneath a few silver birches—the natural place to sit out a hot afternoon with a glass of local wine and gather energy for the ride home.↗↗

Nearby, a small chapel dedicated to St. Urban, patron of winemakers and vineyard workers, was raised just before the tower in 2008, reinforcing the site's connection to the local viticultural year. The whole ensemble sits among working vineyards on an eastern rise above town, so a visit feels less like climbing a monument than strolling through the landscape that the wine region is famous for.↗

Getting there and visiting

Slunečná is easy to reach by foot, bike or car. Cyclists can join the well-signposted Modré Hory and Krajem André routes that pass through Velké Pavlovice, while walkers follow the yellow or green marked trails, the most natural starting point being near the railway stop and the woodland park along the Trkmanka stream. By car you can drive right up to the tower off the road toward Bořetice, where there is a small car park at the site.↗↗

The tower is freely accessible and open all day and night, with no admission fee, so timing your visit for light rather than for opening hours—the western view over the Pálava hills makes late afternoon and the golden hour especially rewarding. Note that the climb is up a steep 75-step spiral, so it suits steady legs but is not step-free. The kiosk, toilets and souvenir stall behind the tower run seasonal hours (daily in July and August, weekends and holidays in spring and autumn, closed in winter), so plan food and drink accordingly.↗↗↗