Vejprty

Vejprty
Town
Centre of the town
Flag Coat of arms
Vejprty Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 50°29′30″N 13°1′58″E
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Ústí nad Labem
District	Chomutov
First mentioned	1506
Government
• Mayor	Jitka Gavdunová (ODS)
Area
• Total	9.77 km2 (3.77 sq mi)
Elevation	725 m (2,379 ft)
Population  (2024-01-01)
• Total	2,776
• Density	280/km2 (740/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	431 91
Website	www.vejprty.cz

Vejprty (Czech pronunciation: [ˈvɛjpr̩tɪ]; German: Weipert) is a town in Chomutov District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,800 inhabitants. It lies along the border with Germany. Until World War II, it was a large town.

Administrative parts

The villages of České Hamry and Výsada are administrative parts of Vejprty.

Geography

Vejprty is located about 26 km (16 mi) west of Chomutov and 30 km (19 mi) southeast of Karlovy Vary. It lies in the Ore Mountains. The highest point is below the top of the mountain Vlčí kopec, at 970 m (3,180 ft) above sea level. The territory stretches along the border with Germany, from which it is separated by the Polana stream. It borders the German municipalities of Bärenstein and Oberwiesenthal.

History

Vejprty in 1912

The first written mention of Vejprty is from 1506. In 1550, silver ore was discovered in the area. The mining settlement of Neugeschrei was established near the newly created adit, today the local part of Vejprty under the name Nové Zvolání. In 1607, Emperor Rudolf II allowed all the miners and craftsmen settled here to deal freely with their property. Vejprty was promoted to a royal mining town in 1617.

Vejprty was badly damaged during the Thirty Years' War by the army of Johan Banér, and the mines were flooded. In 1688, mining was resumed and the town began to flourish again. In the first half of the 18th century, however, profitability began to decline, and mining stopped in 1751. Although mining resumed briefly in the 19th century, it ended for good in 1845. The livelihood of the inhabitants was thus gradually reoriented to the manufacture of rifles and to lacemaking. Rapid development took place in the second half of the 19th century. It was helped by the establishment of the Chomutov–Vejprty railway, which was put into operation in 1872.

Demographics

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1869 5,593 —     1880 6,573 +17.5% 1890 8,499 +29.3% 1900 10,212 +20.2% 1910 12,097 +18.5%	Year Pop. ±% 1921 10,615 −12.3% 1930 12,222 +15.1% 1950 4,788 −60.8% 1961 4,674 −2.4% 1970 3,682 −21.2%	Year Pop. ±% 1980 3,897 +5.8% 1991 3,320 −14.8% 2001 3,336 +0.5% 2011 2,950 −11.6% 2021 2,695 −8.6%
Source: Censuses

Transport

Vejprty is located on the railway line Chomutov–Cranzahl. However, trains run on it only on weekends in the summer season.

Sights

Church of All Saints

The most important monument is the Church of All Saints. The original church was built in 1660. In 1777–1785, it was rebuilt in Rococo style. The church tower was rebuilt after a fire caused by lightning in 1827, and in 1912 it was raised to a height of 53 metres (174 ft).

A valuable building is the Chapel of Saint Martin. It dates from the 16th century, when it replaced an old wooden church.

Notable people

Town square

• Ottokar Tumlirz (1856–1928), Austrian physicist
• Theodor Innitzer (1875–1955), cardinal and Archbishop of Vienna
• Wilhelm Dick (1897–1980), German ski jumper
• Viktor Petermann (1916–2001), German Luftwaffe fighter ace
• Walter W. Müller (born 1933), German academic

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic

Vejprty is twinned with:

• Bärenstein, Germany

Vejprty also cooperates with Gunzenhausen, Germany.

External links

• Official website