| Bečov nad Teplou | |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Karlovy Vary |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Karlovy Vary |
| Pushpin Map: | Czech Republic |
| Pushpin Relief: | 1 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in the Czech Republic |
| Coordinates: | 50.0833°N 12.8383°W |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Miroslav Nepraš |
| Established Title: | First mentioned |
| Established Date: | 1387 |
| Area Total Km2: | 19.82 |
| Elevation M: | 532 |
| Population As Of: | 2024-01-01 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 919 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone1: | CET |
| Utc Offset1: | +1 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 364 64 |
Bečov nad Teplou (de|Petschau) is a town in Karlovy Vary District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 900 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as urban monument zone.
The villages of Krásný Jez and Vodná are administrative parts of Bečov nad Teplou. Krásný Jez forms an exclave of the municipal territory.
According to the most probable theory, the initial name of the settlement was Bečkov and the name was derived from the personal name Bečka, meaning "Bečka's (court)".[2]
Bečov nad Teplou is located about 16km (10miles) south of Karlovy Vary. It lies in the Slavkov Forest. The highest point is the Besídka hill at 713m (2,339feet) above sea level. The Teplá River flows through the town.
The first written mention of the Bečov Castle is from 1317. It was founded by the Lords of Rýzmburk. The settlement of Bečov was first mentioned in 1387. In 1399, it was promoted to a town.[3]
The I/20 road (part of the European route E49) from Plzeň to Karlovy Vary passes through Bečov nad Teplou.
Bečov nad Teplou is located on the regional railway line from Karlovy Vary to Mariánské Lázně. It is also the starting point of the lines to Rakovník and to Žlutice.[4]
Bečov nad Teplou is known for the complex of Bečov Castle and Bečov Chateau. The complex is open to the public and offers guided tours.[5] The exposition contains the second most valuable movable monument in the Czech Republic, the Reliquary of St. Maurus.[6]
The Church of Saint George was built in the late Baroque style in 1763–1767. The tower was finished in 1885.[7]
A notable landmark is the late Baroque town hall. It dates from 1760.[8]
A botanical garden was gradually created in Bečov nad Teplou in 1918–1935. After the garden was acquired by the Czechoslovak state in 1945, it gradually fell ito disrepair. In 2005, the local botanical organization ČSOP Berkut decided to recover and maintain the botanical garden.[9]
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic. Bečov nad Teplou is twinned with:[10]