Loket 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

The villages of Dvory, Nadlesí and Údolí are administrative parts of Loket.

Etymology

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.

Geography

Loket is located about 6 km east of Sokolov and 8 km 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 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. 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. 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

Transport

Loket is the starting point of the railway line to Chomutov.

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. The amphitheatre has a capacity of 1,800 seated spectators.

Sport

Loket hosts the annual Czech Motocross Grand Prix.

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 burned down in 1725, and was rebuilt into a regional jail in 1822. The Church of Saint Wenceslaus was built in the Baroque style in 1701–1734. It replaced an older Gothic church.

In popular culture

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

Notable people

Twin towns – sister cities

Loket is twinned with: