Bergstadt Platten: Historic Town Center and Mining History

Bergstadt Platten (Horní Blatná) has a historic town center that was declared an urban heritage conservation zone in 1992. Horní Blatná was founded as a Renaissance mining town in 1534; its development was linked to tin ore deposits in the surrounding area. The 1534 foundation therefore predates the protection of the town center in 1992 by a considerable margin.

History

The Blatenský příkop is a twelve-kilometer-long artificial canal. It was used in Horní Blatná for ore mining and also served as a source of energy for industry. Today, most of its total length has been restored.

The town museum is located in House No. 127 in Horní Blatná. Its permanent exhibition covers the history of the town and also focuses on the mining and processing of ores in the area around Horní Blatná.

At several locations, it becomes clear how closely Horní Blatná is connected with tin ore. The Renaissance foundation of 1534, the Blatenský příkop built for ore mining, and the exhibition in the town museum tell this story from different perspectives. At the same time, the landscape adds its own distinctive features: At Vlčí jáma, traces of collapsed mine workings lie beside the Ledová jáma, which is covered in snow all year round, while the Zitina vyhlídka opens up views across the surrounding area. Finally, St. Lawrence Church is home to a Renaissance tin baptismal font dating from 1544.

Nature

Vlčí jáma is a protected natural monument with the remains of old collapsed mine workings and chambers. Ledová jáma is part of Vlčí jáma; it is 15 meters deep and retains snow throughout the year.

The Zitina vyhlídka stands on Blatenský vrch at an elevation of 1,044 meters above sea level. The lookout point is 21 meters high and offers views of the surrounding natural landscape. The elevation of 1,044 meters refers to Blatenský vrch as the location; the 21 meters indicate the height of the lookout structure.

The Zitina vyhlídka was built in 1912 by the Horní Blatná winter sports club together with a restaurant and a tourist lodge.

Culture

St. Lawrence Church in Horní Blatná was built in 1594 as a Protestant church in the Saxon Renaissance style. In 1754–1755, it underwent extensive reconstruction in the late Baroque style. The dates mark two separate construction phases: 1594 refers to its construction, while 1754–1755 refers to the extensive late Baroque reconstruction.

The furnishings of St. Lawrence Church include a Renaissance tin baptismal font cast in 1544 by the Jáchymov tin caster Leonhard Dürr. The font thus connects the church with the region's tinworking tradition, without its creation being attributable to the later Baroque reconstruction phase.

Today, St. Lawrence Church occasionally opens its doors to anyone seeking peace, beauty, or a moment of reflection.

Further local pages are Pechöfen, Schaub, Bärringen, Schwarzenbach, Welchau, Horn, Theusing, and Schömitz.

Getting There

Horní Blatná is connected to Karlovy Vary by train and bus services.

For the higher-level travel overview: Karlovy Vary District.