Horní Slavkov, Karlovy Vary District, Karlovy Vary Region, Czech Republic

🇨🇿 Horní Slavkov (Schlaggenwald) is a town in Sokolov District in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as urban monument zone.

Geography Horní Slavkov is located about 11 km (7 mi) south-east of Sokolov and 11 km (7 mi) south-west of Karlovy Vary. It lies in the Slavkov Forest. The highest point is the hill Krudum at 838 m (2,749 ft) above sea level. The Teplá River flows along the eastern municipal border.

History A mining settlement was founded at the beginning of the 13th century. The first written mention of Horní Slavkov is from 1335, when it was named and extended into a small mining town. At the beginning of the 16th century, the town expanded and new residents came to it. Between 1494 and 1547, during the rule of the Pluh of Rabštejn family, Horní Slavkov became one of the largest mining towns thanks to the development of tin and silver ore mining. In 1547, it was promoted to a free mining town by Ferdinand I. The town became a centre of education and culture and there was also a Latin school.

At the beginning of the 17th century, there was a permanent decline in mining, due to which the population has decreased. The Thirty Years' War further deepened the crisis. After the war, there was a boom in craft guild production (tinsmithing, pottery and stove making). A temporary revival of mining occurred at the beginning of the 18th century. Manufactory production of textiles and haberdashery appeared. The first Czech porcelain began to be produced here, when the factory was established in 1792. It reached its greatest development in the 19th century and made the town famous in the world at that time.

Economy Porcelain production continued until 2011, when the factory was closed. In the 20th century, Horní Slavkov was also known for uranium mining. Today, the town is mainly a tourist centre.

Sights The landmark of the town and its most valuable building is the parish Church of Saint George. It was built in the late Gothic style in 1518–1520 and was fortified. The church complex also includes a free-standing stone bell tower and the Baroque building of the former deanery, built in 1755–1756.