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Károly Lookout Tower

Besides the man-made values of Sopron, the picturesque natural environment also touches the visitors. Sopron is situated at the meeting point of three different botanical and zoological regions which explains the extreme richness in species of the nearby forests. Walking on the dense network of paths, we can discover numerous wonders of nature. In the centre of this area, the first wooden lookout tower was constructed by the city planner Károly Romwalter, at his own expense in 1876. The newer 23 meter high lookout tower is made of quarry-stone. On the first floor, there is a highly interesting exhibition of the activity of three natural scientists of European fame - Pál Kitaibel, Endre Gombocz and Zoltán Kárpáti. It also shows the main characteristics of the Sopron Nature Conservation Area. There is a splendid view of Sopron from the tower’s two upper storeys; with the Szárhalmi forest in the background, and the shimmering water of Lake Fertő in the distance. The spectacular view is topped off by the silhouette of the Wienerwald on the left and the snowy mountain blocks of the Schneeberg on the right.