VIDEO The legendary 355-meter-high twin towers in the Czech Republic have been demolished, watch the operation

A pair of 355-meter steel lattice towers known as the Liblice radio mast in the Czech Republic have been demolished. The structure, once the world's tallest medium-wave transmitter and the highest building in the country, collapsed on Thursday after parts of its supporting cables were severed using explosives. Video footage shows the towers falling within just a few seconds. Approximately 4.5 kilograms of special explosive was used for the demolition. Police evacuated and secured the surrounding area before the explosion. The exact date of the demolition was intentionally kept secret to prevent crowds of curious onlookers. Technicians previously required around 45 minutes to reach the top using a service elevator. The radio program broadcasting on a frequency of 639 kHz was once audible far beyond the Czech borders, including in Germany. Public television had turned off its medium-wave transmitters by the end of 2021 for cost savings. Until the end of 2025, the "Country Radio" program continued to use the Liblice mast, albeit with significantly reduced transmission power. The steel lattice towers were officially completed in 1976 during the era of Czechoslovakia. The history of this transmitter site, located about 30 kilometers east of Prague, dates back to the 1930s. Plans to preserve these recognizable towers failed due to high maintenance and modernization costs estimated at less than seven million euros. Supporters of preservation argued the towers should be declared historical monuments, highlighting them as a unique example of engineering. Others claimed the station should be preserved for use in emergencies and disasters. The twin towers, which stood taller than the Eiffel Tower and were once the most powerful medium-wave transmitters in Central Europe at 1.5 megawatts, were brought down simultaneously after nearly 50 years as the country's tallest structures. Built in 1976, their service elevators operated on combustion engines rather than electricity, and technicians needed roughly 45 minutes to reach the top. As ground-based radio giants give way to satellites and fiber, these unique engineering landmarks are gone in about ten seconds.