Skalná (; until 1950 Vildštejn, german: Wildstein) is a town in Cheb District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,900 inhabitants.

Administrative parts

Villages of Kateřina, Starý Rybník, Vonšov and Zelená are administrative parts of Skalná.

Etymology

The original German name Wildstein (i.e. "wild rock") is most likely derived from the location of the town on a rocky promontory, and from the abundance of

game A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...

in the forests. The Czech name Vildštejn was created by transcription. After the World War II, the town was renamed Skalná (from ''skála'', i.e. "rock").

Geography

Skalná is located about north of Cheb and west of

Karlovy Vary Karlovy Vary (; german: Karlsbad, formerly also spelled ''Carlsbad'' in English) is a spa town, spa city in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 46,000 inhabitants. It lies on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá. ...

. It lies on the border with Germany. The eastern part of the municipal territory lies in the Cheb Basin, the western part lies in the

Fichtel Mountains The Fichtel MountainsRandlesome, C. et al. (2011). ''Business Cultures in Europe'', 2nd ed., Routledge, Abingdon and New York, p. 52. . (german: Fichtelgebirge, cs, Smrčiny), form a small horseshoe-shaped mountain range in northeastern Bavaria ...

. The highest point is Lužský vrch, at above sea level.

History

The first written mention of Skalná is from 1224. The settlement was founded around 1200 in the sub-castle area of Vildštejn Castle. It was owned by various noble families, most notably by the House of Gumerauer (1439–1524), by the Wirsberg family (1531–1590s), who made history not only as robbers, but also as builders of a new church and Renaissance castle, and by the Trauttenberg family (1590s–1799).

Sights

The Romanesque Vildštejn Castle was founded in 1166. It was inhabited until the 19th century, when it was transformed into a malting plant. Today it is a museum. The Soos National Nature Reservation is nicknamed "Czech Yellowstone". It is an extensive peat bog and moor, where a large number of mineral springs and pure carbon dioxide spring up in the form of

mofetta Mofetta (Italian from Latin ''mephītis'', a pestilential exhalation) is a name applied to a volcanic discharge consisting chiefly of carbon dioxide, often associated with other vapours, representing the final phase of volcanic activity. The Oxfo ...

s. There is an educational trail leading along the bottom of a dry lake, which had salt water. The Church of Saint John the Baptist was originally a Gothic structure founded by the Teutonic Order, first mentioned in 1320. In 1705–1709, it was rebuilt in the Baroque style. In Starý Rybník there are a chateau and ruins of a Gothic castle.

Notable people

Sigmund von Birken Sigmund von Birken (25 April 1626 – 12 June 1681) was a German poet of the Baroque. He was born in Wildstein, near Eger, and died in Nuremberg, aged 55. His pupil, Sibylle Ursula von Braunschweig-Lüneburg wrote part of a novel, ''Die Durchlau ...

(1626–1681), German poet *

Johann Goldfuß Johann Goldfuss (11 December 1908, Skalná – 3 July 1970, Schwandorf) was a German luthier. Biography Johann Goldfuss was born in Wildstein in Austria-Hungary (now Skalná, Czech Republic). He studied his craft with Mathias Heinicke, who was on ...

(1908–1970), German luthier * Pavel Nedvěd (born 1972), footballer, 2003 Ballon d'Or winner

Twin towns – sister cities

Skalná is twinned with: *

Neusorg Neusorg is a municipality in the district of Tirschenreuth in Bavaria, Germany. The town itself is the seat of Neusorg municipal federation. Geography Neusorg has nine Ortsteil A village is a clustered human settlement or community, ...

, Germany

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Skalna Cities and towns in the Czech Republic Populated places in Cheb District Villages in Cheb District