Poustka Explained

Poustka
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:50.1403°N 12.2983°W
Established Title:First mentioned
Established Date:1275
Area Total Km2:6.98
Elevation M:515
Population As Of:2024-01-01
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:170
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:CET
Utc Offset1:+1
Timezone1 Dst:CEST
Utc Offset1 Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:350 02

Poustka (German: Oed) is a municipality and village in Cheb District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 200 inhabitants. It is known for the Seeberg Castle.

Administrative parts

The village of Ostroh is an administrative part of Poustka.

Etymology

The word Czech: poustka denoted lonely house or abandoned house. The Middle High German word einôti (in modern German Einöde), which gave rise to the German name of the settlement Oed, had the same meaning.[2]

Geography

Poustka is located about 8km (05miles) northwest of Cheb and 40km (30miles) west of Karlovy Vary. It lies in the Fichtel Mountains. The highest point is the hill Kozinec at 551m (1,808feet) above sea level. The stream Slatinný potok flows through the municipality.

History

The first written mention of Poustka is from 1275.[3] Ostroh was first mentioned in 1322.[4] The villages developed typically for the castle grounds, they provided the background for the castle. Farmers and people working at the castle lived here. It used to be a strategic point, but later the original function of the castle changed and it became mainly an administrative centre.[3] Among the notable owners of the castle were the families of Schlick, Juncker, Zedtwitz and Nostitz.[4]

Transport

The I/64 road from Františkovy Lázně to the Czech-German border in runs through the municipality.

Sights

The main landmark is the Seeberg Castle in Ostroh. It was built between 1250 and 1275. It originally served as a ministerial castle. The original Romanesque castle was later rebuilt in Gothic and Renaissance styles. It consists of a Romanesque and Gothic palace with a Renaissance wing. Today the castle is open to the public.[5]

The Church of Saint Wolfgang was built in the Gothic style in 1470–1478. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style in 1721–1724.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024. Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
  2. Book: Profous, Antonín. Místní jména v Čechách III: M–Ř. 448. 1951. cs.
  3. Web site: Poustka. Atlas Česka. cs. 2023-01-18.
  4. Web site: Hrad Seeberg. Obec Poustka. cs. 2023-01-18.
  5. Web site: Hrad Ostroh, Seeberg. National Heritage Institute. cs. 2023-01-18.
  6. Web site: Kostel sv. Wolfganga. National Heritage Institute. cs. 2023-01-18.