Hotel Bílý kůň (Loket) Hotel building

Hotel White Horse, formerly known as Gasthaus Zum weissen Ross, is a historic building of the hotel located in the heart of the village Loket in the district of Sokolov in the Karlovy Vary Region. This object is protected as a cultural monument and is significant thanks to its long history, which dates back to the 16th century, and the events that took place here.

The original storey was built in the middle of the 16th century with medieval foundation. In the past, there were envoys waiting for an audience at the King's castle. Before the reconstruction, he was the owner of Balthasar Matschak.

The current eclectic building was built in 1899 according to the plans of Austrian architect Gerhard Reitmayer. The complex consists of two adjacent buildings No. 108 and No. 109 at T. G. Masaryk Square. The main building has four above-ground floors, is understacked and stands on the claim with Butcher Street. Its facade is characterized by a richly shaped high shield and is attached to the claim by an arches with a high needle roof. On the ground floor there is an entrance with original massive wooden doors and a rugged metal awning. Part of the monument is a partially roofed terrace with original wooden pavilion, known as Goethe's view.

The construction of a new building from the end of the 19th century was reported by the longstanding mayor Lokte Friedrich Dörfler, assuming that he could also be his son of the same name. After 1998 the hotel was owned by Hotel White Horse s. r. o., which however ended in 2008 in liquidation. The subsequent reconstruction was designed by the company Projektstav s. r. o., after which the hotel was again operational.

The building is linked to the visits of the famous poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. On the terrace of the hotel on 28 August 1823, during the celebration of his 74 birthday in the company of the Levetzow family, a significant event took place. It is said that a poet here proposed to a 19-year-old Ulrik von Levetzow, but was politely rejected. After this event he travelled to Weimar and never returned to Bohemia. On the terrace in the roofed gazebo today is a picture of this celebration with Mrs. von Levetzow and her daughters Ulrika, Amalia and Berta.

Another crucial moment in the history of the hotel is the end of World War II. On 8 May 1945, there was the signing of the official surrender of the forces of the German army. The capitulation act was signed by German General Herbert Osterkamp before US Brigadier General George Arthur Taylor. There was an incident when General Taylor mentioned Elbogen, Czechoslovakia, while General Osterkamp requested the name Sudetenland. After the reply that there is no Sudetenland, but that there is Czechoslovakia, the act has been completed. This event is commemorated by a commemorative plate on the facade of the building.

Today the hotel offers visitors a terrace overlooking the valley of the Ohře River. The building represents a valuable historical entity that links cultural history with important political moments. It is a place worth visiting for anyone interested in the history and architecture of the region.