Loket U Dolních Kralovic brings together a clearly defined village history and several specific places of remembrance: the “Dolejší” cross above the village, a chapel on the village green and a memorial bearing the names of soldiers from Loket. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can plan your stay around whether you mainly want to learn about the village’s history or also include walks in the local woods.
Village history and location
The village’s origins are linked to the colonisation of Svatavina Újezd and date back to 1352. The name Loket may derive from an earlier road that curved like an elbow. The date and the interpretation of the name answer different questions: the year places the village’s origins in time, while the curved road offers one possible explanation of the place name.
In 1920, a bus passed through Loket for the first time; the route at the time ran from Pelhřimov via Zruč and Ledeč. For geographical orientation, Loket lies near the D1 motorway between Prague and Brno.
Chapel and Pentecost tradition
A chapel built in 1911 stands on the village green. Previously, a bell hung there between two posts; in 1911, it was hung in the chapel. May devotions were held in the chapel. In addition, each year on the eve of Pentecost, the village’s young people erected a maypole. This tradition continues to this day.
Crosses and places of remembrance
The “Dolejší” cross stands above the village. František Moravec had it erected in memory of his brother Václav. A fatal incident is part of the story remembered at the “Spálenkův” cross: a man was run over at this spot by a cart pulled by a startled bull and died. Antonie Bejčková had the cross erected in memory of her brother František.
The other local crosses also have their own benefactors. The fourth was erected by Jan Turek; the Bejček family had a fifth erected in honour and praise of God.
The memorial to those who fell in the First World War bears their names. Six soldiers from Loket fell in the war, and four others died as a result of the war. The crosses and the memorial commemorate different things: individuals and the residents who lost their lives in the war.
Farmstead and woods
At farmstead No. 13, a passage through the barn leads into the courtyard. The shape of the gate suggests that the building dates from the 18th century. A functional feature of the farmstead thus sits alongside an architectural interpretation of its possible date.
Walks in the local woods are considered a pleasant leisure activity; gathering wild produce is another way to spend your free time. You can therefore choose different themes for your stay: village history and architectural forms in the village, or walks and gathering wild produce in the woods.
Discover more destinations: Sázava, Keblov, Petriny U Vlasimy, Merin, Drahňovice, Kondrac, Chrást Nad Sázavou, Chmelná.
For the overview of the wider area: Okres Benešov.
