Mining Towns and Villages
Chodov
Chodov is the second largest town in the Sokolov District. The first mention of the settlement Zedliz Coda comes from the year 1195. In the 12th to 13th century, Chodov was in possession of the Waldsassen Monastery, in 14th to 17th century belonged to the Loket Estate. In 1894, Chodov became the town status. Since the late 18th century began mining of brown coal, in 1810 the production of porcelain.
Chodov on ancient postcard
Until the end of the World War II, the city was inhabited predominantly by German population, which majority was in 1945–1946 displaced. In the 1960ies, with the advance of coal mining and construction of a chemical factory in Vřesová, was built in Chodov a panel housing estate.
Church of St. Lawrence in the early 20th century
An important historic building is the Baroque Church of St. Lawrence, built in the mid 18th century according to plans by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer. The main altar is decorated with paintings by Peter Brandl. Bronze gongs from the original clock tower machine were declared a cultural monument in 2003.
Because of the relatively large depth of the coal seam in the vicinity of Chodov, coal was mined mainly by underground shafts there. In the town area worked shafts Francis (1918–1930), Ida (1938–1939), Heinrich I (1924–1942), Joseph-Anna (until 1913), Laurenti (1857–1917) and Richard (1896–1926). The shafts Caroli (1850–1915), Caroli-Hedy (1915–1920), Heinrich II (1920–1944) and Heinrich III (1941–1950) extended into the area of adjacent Božičany. The mining history of the town symbolizes crossed mining hammers in the coat of arms.
The Richard Shaft near the railway station in Chodov (1925)
Municipal Coat of Arms
Useful information
Sources:
http://de.wikipedia.org/…edlo_u_Lokte
Jiskra J. (1997): Z historie uhelných lomů na Sokolovsku od Johanna Davida Adler von Starcka po Sokolovskou uhelnou a. s. Sokolovská uhelná, Sokolov.
