Czech Republic demolishes its tallest structures after nearly 50 years
Two 355-meter (1,165-foot) radio transmission towers in Liblice, Czech Republic, were brought down in a controlled demolition on October 15, ending nearly half a century as the country's tallest structures.
The towers collapsed at 11:15 a.m. local time after demolition crews used approximately 4.5 kilograms (9.9 pounds) of Semtex explosives to sever supporting cables, Czech news outlet iDNES.cz reported.
Hundreds of spectators gathered to watch the demolition, some bringing binoculars and folding chairs. Several residents were visibly emotional as the towers fell.
“We've lost our beacon and a symbol of home,” local residents told the outlet.
The Liblice B transmitter entered service in December 1976 and was once the most powerful radio broadcasting facility in Central Europe. Czech Radio stopped using it for medium-wave broadcasts at the end of 2021, while Country Radio continued operating there until March 2025.
Some locals had called for the towers to be preserved as part of Czechoslovakia's engineering and broadcasting heritage. Others viewed them as obsolete structures dating from the communist era.
With the towers gone, the 347.5-meter (1,140-foot) Krašov television and radio transmitter has become the tallest structure in the Czech Republic.
Crews are expected to spend approximately 20 more days clearing the collapsed steel structures.
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