12 June 2015

Kaiser Ferdinand Bridge over the Ohre River in Loket (Czech Republic) painted by Franz Josef Sandmann

In the former prison cells and torture chamber of the Loket Castle there is a small statue of Gottstein, a gnome-like creature that sports a long, golden beard and holds a club behind his back. A plaque proclaims him the ruler of the Loket cliffs, rocks and underworld. According to a legend, if a person touches the top of Gottstein’s beard, leaves some money and wishes for something good, the wish will come true. However, if a person touches the club behind his back or thinks about something mean, that person will feel Gottstein’s wrath within one year.

Legend about the Loket Castle