Caltov

Caltov is a vanished village in the Tachov district, lying about five kilometers east of Planá in a valley along a stream known as Kosí potok, on the slope of Klunka hill. Once a populated settlement with roots stretching back to the Middle Ages, it survives today only as a single small chapel and faint traces in the landscape.

Where is Caltov located?

The former village sits on the southeastern slope of Klunka hill, along the valley of the Kosí potok, near the road connecting Planá and Lestkov, at an elevation of roughly 486 meters. The surrounding area is a quiet mix of forest and meadow typical of the Tachov borderlands, drawing mainly hikers and cyclists interested in the region's abandoned settlements.

How did the settlement begin?

The earliest record of Caltov dates back to a 1379 tax register, placing its origins firmly in the medieval period. At that time a small fortified residence stood here, tied to local lesser nobility. From 1517 onward, the estate associated with Caltov was absorbed into the larger holdings of nearby Planá, and it lost its status as an independent noble property.

What happened to the old stronghold?

The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) brought destruction to the local fortified residence. Stone and other building material salvaged from the ruined structure were later reused to build the village that grew up on the site once the war had ended. Small remnants of the original stronghold were still visible and described as late as the 1920s, though they have since largely disappeared.

When was the village founded, and how long did it last?

The village that replaced the old stronghold first appears in the written record in a 1654 tax roll, shortly after the war's end. By the 19th century Caltov remained modest in size — in 1838 it counted just eleven houses and sixty-six inhabitants. The settlement survived into the first half of the 20th century, but after 1945, following the expulsion of the area's German-speaking population, it emptied out quickly and had effectively ceased to exist as an inhabited place by 1946.

What remains of Caltov today?

Almost nothing of the former village survives beyond memory, aside from one building and a small chapel standing along the old path leading to the settlement. The chapel outlasted the worst years of postwar neglect and was restored in the 1990s, making it the only clear landmark still pointing to the settlement that once stood here. Archival photographs from 1935 also survive, documenting the village's appearance shortly before it disappeared.

Does the area around Caltov have any natural significance?

The surroundings of the former village are also occasionally noted for their geology — the site lies within a zone of Proterozoic metamorphic rock containing minerals such as andalusite and kyanite. For anyone with an interest in mineralogy or geology, that's an added reason to step off the main Tachov-area trails and head toward Klunka hill.

How can visitors reach Caltov today?

The site now functions mainly as a stop along hiking and cycling routes through the countryside near Planá. With no remaining buildings or tourist infrastructure beyond the chapel, visitors can expect a quiet walk through forest and meadow, using the chapel as a destination or waypoint along the trail.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Caltov located? About five kilometers east of Planá, in the Tachov district, on the slope of Klunka hill above the Kosí potok valley.

Does anyone still live in Caltov? No — the village ceased to exist as an inhabited place after 1946, following the expulsion of its German-speaking residents.

What survives from the former village? One building and a small chapel along the old road into the village, restored in the 1990s.

Did a stronghold once stand at Caltov? Yes, a small fortified residence stood here in the Middle Ages; it was destroyed during the Thirty Years' War, and small remnants were still visible as late as the 1920s.

Is there a marked trail to Caltov? Yes, the site lies along a hiking route connecting it to Planá, popular with visitors seeking traces of the Czech borderlands' vanished villages.