Žižkov Television Tower

Love it or hate it, and Praguers have done both, the Žižkov Television Tower is impossible to miss. It rises from a small park in the working-class district of Žižkov, a cluster of three concrete-and-steel columns topped with pods, looking like a rocket that landed among the tenement blocks. It was designed in the 1980s by Václav Aulický and Jiří Kozák and began broadcasting in 1992, so it straddles the end of Communism and the beginning of the new republic; for years it was mocked as one of the ugliest buildings in the world. Then, in 2000, the artist David Černý attached a row of giant faceless babies crawling up its legs, and the tower became a cult landmark. Today it is one of the best viewpoints in Prague, because it shows you what you cannot see from the castle or the Old Town towers: the whole city, from the castle and the river bends to the housing estates and the hills beyond. The observation deck sits at about 93 metres, with seating and panoramic windows, and there is information about the landmarks on the horizon. The official city tourism site lists it as open daily from nine in the morning until midnight, which makes it one of the few viewpoints you can enjoy after dark; the city lights at night are spectacular. One floor holds the Oblaca restaurant and bar, and there is a single-room hotel, the Sky Suite, for a once-in-a-lifetime night. The basic adult admission listed by Prague City Tourism is 350 CZK, with reduced and family tickets. Expect a quick lift ride, a calm deck and very few queues compared with Petřín or the Old Town Hall.

Why go up: from the castle you see the Old Town; from the TV Tower you see Prague as a whole, including the parts most tourists never reach. On a clear day the panorama stretches across the red roofs of Vinohrady and Žižkov, the green ribbon of Riegrovy sady, the castle on its ridge, Vyšehrad on its rock and the Vltava winding through. The higher pods hold broadcasting equipment and are not open; the deck, the restaurant and the suite are the public parts. At the foot of the tower, look for Černý's babies, some of which have been placed at ground level in Kampa as well, and for the fragment of an old Jewish cemetery beside the tower park, a reminder of what was here before.

Practicalities: the tower is in Žižkov, a short walk from Jiřího z Poděbrad metro station on line A, or a pleasant downhill walk from the National Museum through Vinohrady. Tiqets sells the observatory ticket, a ticket with an online audio guide and combinations with Petřín Tower, and the tower appears in several city passes. A drink or a meal in the restaurant is an alternative way to enjoy the view, but check whether you need a deck ticket to reach it. Clear, cold days in winter give the sharpest views; summer haze can soften them.

Fitting it in: combine the tower with a walk through Vinohrady and Žižkov, two residential districts with excellent cafes, wine bars and some of the best local pubs in Prague, so beer lovers should plan an evening here. Go up just before sunset, watch the lights come on, then head down for dinner in the neighbourhood. The Museum of Communism is a short metro ride away and makes a good thematic pairing with this late-Communist landmark.