A simple beauty
The observation tower Žalostiná, Chvojnica

The lovely reddish wooden observation tower with a carved roof decorates the hill Žalostiná. Its simple beauty fits into the picturesque scenery of mounds covered by woods, meadows and pastures. In the valley lie scattered houses. On the hill Žalostiná your soul will get filled with a sense of peace and harmony with the surrounding region. The howling wind reminds us of a mother’s lament for a lost daughter. It’s smoothening in its own way. The lament attracts predators lying in wait for their victims. Shall we be concerned over the fate of an endangered creature? The fate of the tiny observation tower on Žalostiná is in the hands of those who come to visit it. The tower does not have to worry about its future. It’s beautiful and people like beautiful things.

ABOUT THE TOWER
The small wooden tower is located on the flat top of the hill Žalostiná with an altitude of 622 meters. The tower was built in 2009. It has twenty-two steps and is six meters high. Its observation deck is placed four meters above the ground.
The peak of Žalostiná, on which the observation tower is built, is grassed. Visitors thus do not have to worry. Nothing stands between them and a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding countryside - the White Carpathians, Myjava hills and Považský Inovec, municipalities of Chvojnica and Vrbovce, the surrounding hills Žalostiná - aunt, Pecková - aunt, Ostrý vrch - uncle and Vesna - uncle. On the top of Ostrý vrch stands a wind power plant. You can also see ruins or Branč castle and Tematín castle, Mound of M.R. Štefánik. When the weather is good the tower offers a great view of Veľká Javorina, Moravian-Silesian Beskid and the Little Carpathians. A sharp eye can spot Rohožník, Senica, the neighboring Moravian village Blatnica, Veselí nad Moravou, Strážnice, Rohatec, Hodonin, Uherský Ostroh and Uherské Hradište, the silhouette of the castle Buchlov, cooling towers of the power plant Dukovany and propellers of wind turbines in Austria. It´s almost unbelievable but a good weather can sometimes reveal the foothills of the Alps.
If you would like to see that with your own eyes, travel to the municipality of Chvojnica – local part Hate and climb your way up to Žalostiná. The hike is not difficult at all! The tower can be seen directly from the road and therefore it is impossible to get lost even though there is no marked hiking trail or path.

THE PITIABLE ŽALOSTINÁ
The legend has it that near the well a mother and her daughter used to live. When the mother was cooking lunch she sent her daughter off for water to the nearby well. The girl met there her beloved and got delayed. Her mother got angry and cursed her daughter: "I wish you would petrify where you stand." The curse worked and her daughter turned to stone. After some time the mother went off to look for her daughter but found only a stone statue. Since then she has been walking around the hill crying: "Oi, what have I done." Her lament can be heard all over the hill. That’s how the hill got its name - Žalostiná.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

BUČKOVA JAMA (BUČKO’S PIT)
It is a natural monument under the protection of the White Carpathians. It’s located in the cadastral territory of the municipality of Vrbovce. The area features a well-preserved complex of the White Carpathians’ grasslands and meadows. Parts of the forest massif of Žalostiná are subjects to selection cutting; the other part of the massif is a home to rare and endangered species of plants and animals.

CHVOJNICA
The municipality of Chvojnica consists of many scattered settlements. It is a typical isolated settlement. The varied mosaic of forests, meadows, pastures and small woods creates a beautiful landscape. The municipality features a cultural and historical monument - a Baptist church from 1893. The surroundings of Chvojnica are great for hiking trips to the picturesque corners of the stream Chvojnica. Hiking trails around Chvojnica are suitable for light hiking in the surrounding hills. Fans of cycling can enjoy the cycling trail "4 Cykloregio" leading from Brezová pod Bradlom to Hodonín.