Podhradí (Cheb District) Explained

Podhradí
Settlement Type:Municipality
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Karlovy Vary
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Cheb
Pushpin Map:Czech Republic
Pushpin Relief:1
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates:50.2556°N 12.2019°W
Established Title:First mentioned
Established Date:1288
Area Total Km2:6.36
Elevation M:562
Population As Of:2024-01-01
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:216
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:CET
Utc Offset1:+1
Timezone1 Dst:CEST
Utc Offset1 Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:352 01

Podhradí (German: Neuberg) is a municipality and village in Cheb District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 200 inhabitants.

Etymology

The name Podhradí (from Czech: pod hradem, i. e. "under the castle") means "area under the castle".

Geography

Podhradí is located about northwest of Cheb and 46km (29miles) west of Karlovy Vary, in the Aš Panhandle area. It lies in the Fichtel Mountains. The highest point is the hill Studánecký vrch at 697m (2,287feet) above sea level, located on the northern municipal border. The stream Ašský potok flows through the municipality.

History

The first written mention of Neuberg Castle is from 1288, however, it was built in the first half of the 13th century. Until 1288, it was owned by the Lords of Neuberg, then King Rudolf I handed it to Lords of Plauen as a fief. Podhradí soon returned to the possession of the Lords of Neuberg. In 1395, the castle and the village was acquired by the Zedtwitz family, who owned it until 1945.[2]

In the 16th century, the Romanesque castle was abandoned, and after a big fire at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, it was severely damaged. The remains of the castle were used for building materials. The castle was replaced by a Renaissance castle, which was damaged during the Thirty Years' War and rebuilt in the late 17th century. In 1902, it was destroyed in a big fire.[2]

After the estate was divided among several branches of the Zedtwitz family, the members of one of them had built new residence called Upper Chateau, and another residence known as Lower Chateau was built in the mid-18th century. The Upper Chateau was demolished in the 1960s, the Lower Chateau was completely demolished in 1965.[2]

After World War II, the German population was expelled and the village significantly depopulated.

Transport

There are no railways or major roads passing through the municipality.

Sights

The Church of the Good Shepherd is the oldest Lutheran church in the area. It was built in the late Gothic style by the Zedtwitz family in 1470–1490. In the 1680s, it was rebuilt in the Baroque style. The tower was modified in 1677–1699.[3]

Ruins of Neuberg Castle and Upper Chateau are preserved and freely accessible.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024. Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
  2. Web site: Historie. Obec Podhradí. cs. 2024-07-18.
  3. Web site: Kostel Dobrého Pastýře. National Heritage Institute. cs. 2022-04-21.
  4. Web site: Prohlédněte si. V Podhradí je zámek i hrad. Deník.cz. cs. 2020-11-24. 2022-04-21.