Pirkenhammer

Pirkenhammer combines the history of porcelain with distinctive buildings and the landscape along the Teplá in Březová. The manufactory founded in 1813, the half-timbered building Starý mlýn, the Church of the Name of the Virgin Mary and a route through the town shape Březová. A valley reservoir on the Teplá is another attraction.

Porcelain with its own designation of origin

The Pirkenhammer porcelain manufactory in Březová was founded in 1813. It is associated with a factory museum. UPAK in Březová produces porcelain whose products bear the designation of origin PIRKENHAMMER. UPAK invites interested parties to get in touch or visit the facility in person. The historic manufactory and present-day production therefore represent two separate connections to Březová’s porcelain tradition.

Half-timbered buildings, a church and historical traces

One of the distinctive buildings in Březová is Starý mlýn, a half-timbered building constructed in 1898. It was built as an excursion café and restaurant, complementing the porcelain tradition with an example of historic regional architecture. Half-timbering refers to a construction method with a visible wooden framework and filled-in spaces between the timbers. The year 1898 is later than the construction of the church in 1893 and the founding of the manufactory in 1813. A memorial plaque in Březová marks the site of a former smithy where Peter the Great forged a staff and a horseshoe in 1711. Another focal point is the Church of the Name of the Virgin Mary. It was built in 1893 in the Pseudo-Gothic style at the foot of Zámecký vrch in the centre of Březová. Pseudo-Gothic refers to a style that adopts Gothic design without originating in the Middle Ages. Inside are 14 valuable oil paintings of the Stations of the Cross dating from the mid-18th century. The interior furnishings therefore predate the construction of the church.

Tour and landscape along the Teplá

For orientation on site, Tour 8 is one specific way to cross Březová. It leads from Poštovní dvůr through Březová to the terminus of the Karlovy Vary–Březová bus route. As a route, Tour 8 differs from the individual buildings: it leads through Březová, while Starý mlýn, the church and the memorial plaque each mark their own local points of interest.

The landscape is also characterised by a valley reservoir on the Teplá, which you can visit in the municipality of Březová. A valley reservoir is a water storage facility in a valley. From there, the Teplá continues to Karlovy Vary and flows into the Ohře in the city centre. The river therefore runs beyond the municipality to the city centre of Karlovy Vary. The reservoir and the river’s further course thus show two scales of the landscape: the water storage facility within the municipality and the course of the Teplá as far as the city centre of Karlovy Vary.

Further places for orientation

For further research in the same broader area, you can also compare Grasengrün, Neudek, Gängerhof, Poschetzau, Großfürwitz, Sodau, Gottesgab and Tüppelsgrün.

For the broader travel overview: Karlovy Vary District.