Loket

For the municipality in the Central Bohemian Region, see Loket (Benešov District).

Loket
Town
Skyline of Loket
Skyline of Loket
Flag of Loket
Flag
Coat of arms of Loket
Coat of arms
Loket is located in Czech Republic
Loket
Loket
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 50°11′10″N 12°45′15″E / 50.18611°N 12.75417°E / 50.18611; 12.75417
Country Czech Republic
RegionKarlovy Vary
DistrictSokolov
First mentioned1234
Government
 • MayorZdeněk Bednář
Area
 • Total26.73 km2 (10.32 sq mi)
Elevation
427 m (1,401 ft)
Population
 (2023-01-01)[1]
 • Total3,075
 • Density120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
357 33
Websitewww.loket.cz

Loket (Czech pronunciation: [ˈlokɛt]; German: Elbogen) is a town in Sokolov District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,100 inhabitants. The town is known for the Loket Castle, a 12th-century Gothic castle. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument reservation.

Administrative parts

Villages of Dvory, Nadlesí and Údolí are administrative parts of Loket.

Etymology

Ohře below the castle

Both Loket and Elbogen mean "elbow" in Czech and German, respectively. The town got its name due to the town centre being surrounded on three sides by the Ohře River, and the shape the river takes is similar to that of an elbow.[2]

Geography

Loket is located about 6 kilometres (4 mi) east of Sokolov and 8 km (5 mi) southwest of Karlovy Vary. It lies mostly in the Slavkov Forest, only the northwestern part of the town extends into the Sokolov Basin. The highest point is the hill Zelenáč at 707 m (2,320 ft) above sea level. The Ohře River flows through the town.

History

In the second half of the 12th century, a royal castle Loket was built on a landmark promontory within the Ohře River bend.[2] It used to be called the "Key to the Kingdom of Bohemia". Soon after, a small town, first mentioned in 1234, arose below the castle.[2]

In the early 15th century the royal town was fortified and turned into an important focal point of the Bohemian Crown. In the course of the 19th century, the town became famous for its local porcelain factory. However, industrial production was located in the surrounding towns.

From 1938 to 1945, Loket was occupied by Nazi Germany and administered as part of the Reichsgau Sudetenland. In 1945, the German population was expelled according to the Beneš decrees. In the late 20th century, the castle underwent a complete reconstruction and was subsequently open to the public.

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
18694,179—    
18804,120−1.4%
18904,663+13.2%
19005,538+18.8%
19105,104−7.8%
YearPop.±%
19214,716−7.6%
19305,083+7.8%
19502,664−47.6%
19612,595−2.6%
19702,037−21.5%
YearPop.±%
19801,833−10.0%
19912,989+63.1%
20013,202+7.1%
20112,978−7.0%
20212,936−1.4%
Source: Censuses[3][4]

Transport

Loket is the starting point of the railway line to Chomutov.[5]

Culture

Loket hosts an annual opera festival, which takes place in an open-air amphitheatre with the castle as a backdrop. The festival, called Loketské kulturní léto ("Loket Cultural Summer"), was established in 2000.[6] The amphitheatre has a capacity of 1,800 seated spectators.[7]

Sport

Loket hosts the annual Czech Motocross Grand Prix.[8]

Sights

Loket Castle

The most visited historical monument in the town is Romanesque Loket Castle. In the days of the House of Luxembourg, the castle served as a temporary residence of members of the royal family. During the Thirty Years' War it was conquered and plundered by Swedish troops. The abandoned castle burned down in 1725, and was rebuilt into a regional jail in 1822.[9]

The Church of Saint Wenceslaus was built in the Baroque style in 1701–1734. It replaced an older Gothic church.[10]

In popular culture

Loket was used, in conjunction with Karlovy Vary, to portray a Montenegrin town in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale.[11]

Loket fielded an assignment at Loket Castle and Svatoš rocks during the finale of the 21st season of the Dutch reality television series Wie is de Mol?.[12]

Notable people

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic

Loket is twinned with:[13]

References

  1. ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2023". Czech Statistical Office. 23 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Vítejte ve městě plném historie, kultury a cestovního ruchu" (in Czech). Město Loket. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  3. ^ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011 – Okres Sokolov" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 21 December 2015. pp. 7–8.
  4. ^ "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 27 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Detail stanice Loket" (in Czech). České dráhy. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Úvodem". Loketské kulturní léto (in Czech). Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Amfiteátr Loket – akce" (in Czech). Město Loket. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Grand Prix České republiky" (in Czech). AMK Loket. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Z historie hradu Loket" (in Czech). Loket Castle. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Kostel sv. Václava" (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  11. ^ Piotr Zając (13 February 2018). "'Casino Royale' in Loket, Czech Republic". bondlocations.com. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  12. ^ Frank Andriga (30 January 2021). "In de voetsporen van Wie is de Mol 2021: Tsjechië". oosteuropavakanties (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Zahraniční vztahy" (in Czech). Město Loket. Retrieved 16 December 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Loket.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Loket.