Welchau: Castle History and Cycling Route

Welchau (Velichov) combines a multifaceted local history with practical connections to cycling trips. Velichov Castle is in the centre of the village, on the floodplain above the Petrovský potok and on the right bank of the Ohře. Churches, memorial sites and a prehistoric hillfort complete the picture. For cyclists, two different routes should be distinguished: a local cycling route and a stage with a specified distance and difficulty.

Castle, Hillforts and Former Castle Site

Velichov Castle is a Gothic-Renaissance moated castle that was converted into a late-Baroque castle with a Neoclassical design. Its history is therefore one of transformation: from a moated castle to a later castle with late-Baroque and Neoclassical features.

West of Welchau, above the village, the hilltop plateau is home to the Liščí vrch hillfort, also known as Thebisberg. The fortified site was established between the 13th and 9th centuries BC. Another historic landmark is the former castle site on the southwestern edge of the municipality. It lies on a promontory above the forestry administration building. Terrain remains survive in an area of the former castle site covered by mature woodland. The elevated position of Liščí vrch and the promontory of the former castle site describe two distinct places in Welchau’s history.

Church and Memorial Sites

The original parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is documented in the parish chronicle in 1384. The Pseudo-Gothic Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was built in 1895–1896 to plans by the architect Ludvík Lábler. Historically, the church served as Welchau’s spiritual and social centre. The two dates refer to different periods in the church’s history: the early documentation of the parish church and the construction of the Pseudo-Gothic church.

The Renaissance epitaph to Josef Traugott z Mangoldu is set into the cemetery wall. It is a carved gravestone. The sandstone statue of Saint John of Nepomuk was erected in 1835 by Franz and Anna Pelikan, the then owners of the local estate. The statue has been protected as a cultural monument since 3 May 1958 and is freely accessible; check access before your visit.

The war memorial commemorates the victims of the First World War. It was probably made in the 1920s by an unknown creator from a cemetery cross. Its uncertain date and unknown creator are part of its recorded history; unlike the statue of Saint John of Nepomuk, its origins are explicitly only presumed.

Cycling Around Welchau

Local cycling route 2198 Velichov–Ostrov–Ryžovna–Potůčky runs along the international Euregio Egrensis route. The Karlovy Vary–Klášterec nad Ohří–Kadaň cycling stage also passes through Velichov at kilometre 10.3. This stage is 46 kilometres long and is rated from moderate to moderately challenging.

This information can help with different route-planning considerations: route 2198 is identified by its connection to Euregio Egrensis; for the stage via Karlovy Vary, Klášterec nad Ohří and Kadaň, the point it passes through, total distance and difficulty are specified. If you are planning your ride based on its length or rating, the 46 kilometres and difficulty level refer to this stage. The two route descriptions provide different information and should not be combined into a single route.

Discover more destinations: Pirkenhammer, Gottesgab, Ostrov Nad Ohří, Stiedra, Schönwald, Kohlhau, Bärringen, Janessen

For the regional travel overview: Karlovy Vary Region.