The two 1,165-foot guyed masts located east of Prague near Liblice were built in 1976. They are also the tallest structures in the Czech Republic.
But the owner of the towers, Czech Radiocommunications, or CRA, ended medium-wave broadcast operations from the RKS Liblice 2 site at the end of 2021. No broadcaster has originated there since last year.
Now, CRA is looking for a buyer by the end of the year, or it will look to demolish the towers.
According to a Forbes Cesko report, the regional mining authority, which oversees explosives licensing, initiated administrative proceedings for permission to blast the towers. But it added that demolition is a last resort if no buyer steps forward to operate the transmitters at the site.
A CRA spokeswoman told Forbes the main reason for demolition is upcoming maintenance costs beginning next year, which would run about 40 million Czech crowns, or about $1.9 million USD.
According to the Prague-based Expats.cz, the most pressing issue is the towers’ support system.
“Experts have determined that the existing support cables have a lifespan only until the end of 2026, with replacement costs estimated at around CZK 120 million ($5.6 million USD),” Jason Pirodsky of Expats.cz wrote.
Further expenses would include anti-corrosion protection, aviation warning lights and a major overhaul of the elevators inside the towers.
Interested buyers have until the end of the year to express their interest, the spokeswoman said. The company estimated a new owner would need to invest at least 170 million crowns ($8 million USD) in urgent repairs and maintenance.
The towers stand approximately 82 feet taller than the Eiffel Tower, according to Forbes.
Medium-wave service from the site ended at the close of 2021 as part of a nationwide phaseout, as Radio World reported.
A private broadcaster, Country Radio, broadcasted from the site until March 2025, according to Forbes.
Local groups have opposed plans for their removal, arguing the structures are a recognizable regional landmark, Pirodsky reported.
Civic association Spolek přátel obce Liblice suggested several potential uses, including opening the towers to tourists or repurposing them for emergency services or the military. Elevators reaching the top could make visitor access possible if necessary safety upgrades are completed.
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