Obec Dalovice

The Village of Dalovice is currently consisting of three consolidated villages - Dalovice, Všeborovice and Vysoká. It lies on the confluence of the Vitický Stream (also mentioned as Dalovický) and the river Ohře which also creates the South-West border line with the City of Karlovy Vary, at the average altitude of 400 metres above sea level. The region is referred to as temperate warm, dry with mostly mild winter.

The archeological survey in the years 1938 – 1942 documented a continuous local settlement as early as the Stone Age. The precious finds are now kept in the collections of the Museum of Karlovy Vary. The village was passed by an old trade path leading from Germany through Cheb, Loket, Dalovice to Žatec, and further to Prague. A wooden fortress was located uphill of the village until the 11th century and replaced by a stone one at later time. The massive foundations of a residential tower are preserved on the hill at the Eastern border line of the park. The ring hill (bordered with secular oak trees) with a diameter of 11m shelters its relics of granite and quartzitic stones bonded with thermal limestone. It is one of the oldest landmarks of settlement in the district. Since the fire in the 15th century, the fortress was not restored while the owners first built the old castle (no. 1 – present Secondary School of Agriculture) followed by the new pseudorenaissance castle that was built in the middle of the park in the 19th century.

The initial written note of the village dates back to 1437. The manor was then owned by Albrecht of Pernštejn. The next owners who also had Doubí (currently part of Karlovy Vary) in their possession changed fairly often. Mention of the better known families, for example, Anna Ludmila Kolovratová, or the widow Marie Benigna Piccolominiová, and finally the Riedel family of Riedelstein. This family set up a park and built a new castle promoting the overall development of the village. The original agricultural village changed into an industrial entity when the kaolin and coal mines were opened. In 1804, a factory was established to produce earthenware, and later porcelain ware – the world’s famous company Epiag. Apart from small companies, the village operated a brick factory, brewery, and a mill or saw mill.

A few notable historical persons stayed in the village, e.g. the Caesaran commander Piccolomini, or J.W. Goethe who visited the village nine times. His drawing which reminds of his stay in the old castle was preserved until today. He bought a dinner set in the porcelain factory and was attracted by the unique quartzitic minerals in Všeborovice. The poet T. Körner underwent medical treatment in Dalovice to recover from his injuries suffered during the Napoleonic wars, and most of then noted dramas and poems originated here. In 1914, a memorial was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his death and placed in the park which he liked to dwell and created his artwork in.

As of 1974, the history of a separate village of Dalovice was supposed to come to an end. It was merged with K.Vary and used to relocate the companies and persons inconvenient for the city. Therefore, the citizens’ initiative for independence was raised as soon as 1989 while the mutually advantageous co-operation with the city should be maintained. This was successfully accomplished in 1991.

The intention of the village which currently has the population of 1850 is to implement the benefits of rural suburban family housing, easily reaching for the benefits of a larger city with a reasonable level of industrial and agricultural activities.