Lahošť lies on a plain below the Ore Mountains, at an elevation of 225 to 230 metres. The clear Bouřlivý potok flows through the town; its source lies below Bouřňák in the Ore Mountains. Velká Vápenka is another body of water, formed when former limestone quarry sites were flooded. It is used for recreation, swimming and fishing. The landscape, water and local history offer different points of interest when choosing a place to stay here.
Landscape and bodies of water
The Bouřlivý potok is a watercourse that flows through Lahošť and receives its clear water from the Ore Mountains. Velká Vápenka has a different origin: the body of water formed when former limestone quarry sites were flooded. Today, it is used for recreation, swimming and fishing. The two bodies of water can therefore be distinguished by their described roles: a stream and its source on the one hand, and a body of water with explicitly mentioned recreational uses on the other.
The location also gives context to the landscape: Lahošť lies below the Ore Mountains, while the stream’s source is below Bouřňák. At Velká Vápenka, meanwhile, the former limestone quarrying is part of the water body’s history. Those considering Lahošť as a destination will find both a landscape connection to the mountains and a direct link between the former use of the land and the body of water today.
The spring and local history
Obří pramen was a thermal spring with a temperature of 25 to 38 °C. Its flow rate was 27 to 42 litres per second; in the past, its water powered a watermill. Temperature and flow rate describe two different properties of the spring: the water’s temperature range and the amount discharged per second. The former watermill also shows that the spring played a role beyond its temperature.
Lahošť’s protected heritage includes the Obří pramen water tower in Na Vypichu. The stone tower near the spring served as a water reservoir for the Valdštejn family. Water was carried from there through pipes to the baths in Duchcov. The spring, reservoir and water pipeline are thus connected through local history and the history of the baths; the supply of water to the baths should be understood as a historical use.
The first written reference to Lahošť dates from the 14th or 15th century. At that time, the settlement belonged to Osek Castle, also known as Riesenburg. A different date marks the Lahošť treasure: it was discovered at a depth of six metres in 1882. The treasure lay in a bronze cauldron filled with bracelets, brooches and rings. The reference to the settlement and the later find offer different historical points of interest: one is a written record, the other a specific archaeological find.
A comparison of stone bridges
The bridges also offer a concrete glimpse into the history of construction. Teplická Street is home to a still-functioning Baroque stone road bridge dating from the second half of the 18th century. It has three segmental, round-arched spans. The eastern bridge on Švermova Street crosses the Bouřlivec and is also still in service. Its construction differs, with two arches and a central semicircular pier. The two bridges can therefore be distinguished not only by their locations, but also by their different numbers of arches and their designs.
Choosing where to stay
The ČD railway line from Ústí nad Labem to Chomutov runs along the southwestern edge of Lahošť and provides a landmark for orientation. If you are looking for a holiday apartment for your stay, you can consider which of the features described interests you most when choosing a destination: the recreational uses of Velká Vápenka, the history of the spring and its water pipeline, or the stone bridges. These points of interest help you assess Lahošť as a destination for its landscape, history and structures.
Discover more destinations: Dubí, Hostomice Nad Bílinou, Bystřany, Hrob, Moldava, Ohníč, Rtyně Nad Bílinou, Hrobčice
For the broader travel overview: Okres Teplice.
