The Region of Liberec Has Purchased Horský Hotel and the Ještěd Transmitter
“The Region of Liberec has been striving to purchase Horský Hotel and the Ještěd transmitter since 2008. The council’s decision yesterday to buy Ještěd is another step towards the planned reconstruction of this iconic building, which will ensure the long-term accessibility of this important cultural monument to the public. We want the hotel and transmitter to remain a symbol of the Liberec Region and to able to be further developed in terms of tourism and the cultural and historical value of the building," said Regional Governor Martin Půta. "The transfer also includes a clarification of the easements and legal relations to land and buildings so that future operation is stable, transparent and allows for meaningful development of the entire complex. The Region undertakes to maintain public access and to ensure the maintenance and operation of the technical infrastructure of the transmitter and hotel facilities."
"Ještěd is not just a transmitter, it is a world-famous construction, the only building in the Czech Republic to be awarded the Perret Prize. At the same time, it is a symbol of the entire region, and we therefore wanted it to pass into the hands of a region or city, where it will be accessible to the general public. We are therefore glad that we have reached an agreement with the Liberec Region, because our intention is to hand over Ještěd to those who will care for it," said Miloš Mastník, CEO of České Radiokomunikace (CRA).
The purchase price for the transfer of assets was determined based on an expert opinion from August 2025 utilising the yield method and amounts to CZK 181 million. This includes the Horský Hotel with a restaurant, adjacent land, a transmitter with a technical building, and other related technical facilities. The contract also includes the purchase of movable property—furniture, equipment and accessories, which was valued by expert opinion at CZK 2,836,700 excluding VAT. The Region will take over the contractually defined easements that provide access to the transmitter, operational communications and connection of engineering networks for the subsidiary České Radiokomunikace a.s.
Part of the land under Ještěd has specific easements and legal restrictions that are part of the transfer. The purchase agreement delineates, among other things, rules for financing any investments or technical modifications to the Ještěd structure. The agreement also includes an arrangement to maintain public access and ensure the operation of the transmitter, which is part of the critical infrastructure of the state, without interruption. All future technical modifications and investments will be carried out by the region, CRA providing cooperation.
"This step is part of the region's long-term strategy to preserve important cultural and technical monuments in the region. Now it will be able to plan the development and maintenance of Ještěd in accordance with public interest and guarantee that the hotel and transmitter will continue to serve tourists," added Regional Governor Půta. "Ještěd is not only a national cultural monument but also the only building in the country in this high-tech style that has received a major global architectural award. But the most important thing is that for many citizens of the region and the Czech Republic, it is the dominant and main symbol of our region."
Another important component of the new arrangement between the Region and CRA is the takeover of so-called easements, which were established before the transfer itself. These regulate, for example, access to broadcasting technologies and define the possibilities of the future owner in certain technical aspects. This makes it clear what restrictions the region has on the use of its property as the owner. CRA is aware of its guaranteed rights of use. These easements are subject to remuneration, with regular annual compensation. From 2028, this compensation is subject to increase by inflation, but by a maximum of 5% per year. "The value of the easements will be adjusted after the reconstruction on the basis of a new expert opinion," added Půta. The agreement also includes a lease agreement until September 2032 for JEŠTĚD, which oversees the operation of the restaurant and hotel and other services related to the operation of the building.
The Liberec Region has an approved design from an architectural competition from the company ARN STUDIO from Hradec Králové under the leadership of Ing. arch. Jiří and Michal Krejčík. The region gave a positive binding opinion to this winning proposal in 2020 and therefore has the power to award a public contract in a negotiated manner without publication, while maintaining economy, efficiency and effectiveness.
The proposed transfer was initially approved on 9 February 2026 by the Extraordinary Regional Council, then subsequently approved by the Regional Council on 24 February 2026 by all 38 councillors present. The region decided to purchase the building in order to ensure its long-term protection, enable planned investments and improve the management of the mountain hotel and transmitter. In 2008, the purchase price of the building was approximately 85 million crowns. At that time, however, CRA had the right to use part of the building for its business free of charge for twenty-five years. The current agreement contains a remunerated easement, the financial compensation of which will be indexed every year and will be revalued after the reconstruction. This purchase has been in preparation since the summer of 2024. Ještěd is an important cultural, architectural and technical landmark of the Liberec Region. This purchase will allow the region to have better control over the development of the building and preserve its cultural value.