Loket

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

For the municipality in the Central Bohemian Region, see Loket (Benešov District).
Loket
Town
Skyline of Loket
Flag
Coat of arms
Loket
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 50°11′10″N 12°45′15″E
Country Czech Republic
RegionKarlovy Vary
DistrictSokolov
First mentioned1234
Government
 • MayorPetr Adamec (Piráti)
Area
 • Total26.73 km2 (10.32 sq mi)
Elevation
427 m (1,401 ft)
Population
 (2020-01-01[1])
 • Total3,075
 • Density120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
357 33
Websitewww.loket.cz

Administrative parts

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

Etymology

Loket / Elbogen means "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]

History
Ohře below the castle

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.

The town was part of the Austrian Empire until 1918, in the Falkenau 18th district (one of the 94 "Bezirkshauptmannschaften" in Bohemia).[3]

From 1938 to 1945 it was one of the municipalities in 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.

Sights

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 burnt down in 1725, and was rebuilt into a regional jail in 1822.

Culture

The town plays host to an annual opera festival, which takes place in an open-air amphitheatre with the castle as a backdrop.

Sport

Loket plays host to the Czech Motocross Grand Prix.

Loket was used to portray Montenegro in the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale.

Notable people

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

Loket is twinned with:[4]

References
  1. "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2020". Czech Statistical Office. 2020-04-30.
  2. "Vítejte ve městě plném historie, kultury a cestovního ruchu" (in Czech). Město Loket. Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  3. Die postalischen Abstempelungen auf den österreichischen Postwertzeichen-Ausgaben 1867, 1883 und 1890, Wilhelm Klein, 1967
  4. "Komise pro partnerská města Loket a Illertissen" (in Czech). Město Loket. Retrieved 2019-08-24.


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