Loket (hrad)

Loket Castle guards a rocky spur above a meander of the Ohře River in the town of the same name in the Sokolov district. It ranks among the most famous landmarks of western Bohemia and, together with the historic core of the town winding tightly around it in a river bend, forms an exceptionally picturesque whole. The castle is protected as a cultural monument.

Its German name Elbogen, meaning "elbow," aptly captures the sharp bend of the Ohře River, which flows around the rock almost in a full circle, giving the site an unmistakable position unlike anything else nearby. The stone castle rises directly from the rocky bedrock, so the boundary between natural rock and masonry almost blurs in places, and the whole structure seems to grow straight out of the rock.

The tour leads through the walls, courtyards and towers, offering views of the town's rooftops and the winding river valley below. The castle sits in the middle of the Slavkovský les Protected Landscape Area — a forested landscape wrapped around nearby spas that has attracted visitors since the past. It is precisely this position above the river that makes Loket one of the most photographed corners of the region.

Loket is an ideal destination for combining a tour of the monument with a walk along the Ohře or an excursion into the forests of Slavkovský les. Nearby lie the famous west Bohemian spa towns, so the castle can be comfortably included in a longer exploration of the area. If you plan your stay with accommodation nearby, you'll have time to discover not just the castle itself but also the peaceful atmosphere of the town and its surrounding nature — unhurried, with the chance to return to the river even after sunset, when the castle stands out beautifully above the water.