The local stronghold once belonged to Vilém of Doupov, a lord ruthless towards his subjects. Lightning supposedly struck him and blackened him like charcoal. He was leaning against a wall and remained standing there even after death, so people were afraid to bury him. The blackened knight slowly sank into the ground until he disappeared altogether. The Devil was said to have dragged him by the feet into hell. His 1568 tomb in the Church of St Nicholas is a tall rectangular monument bearing the reclining figure of a bearded man in armour.
Location and map
- Place
- Vilémov
- Municipality / starting point
- Vilémov
- District / region
- Chomutov
- Country
- Czechia
- Distance and direction
- 10 km S of Kadaně
The local stronghold once belonged to Vilém of Doupov, a lord ruthless towards his subjects. Lightning supposedly struck him and blackened him like charcoal. He was leaning against a wall and remained standing there even after death, so people were afraid to bury him. The blackened knight slowly sank into the ground until he disappeared altogether. The…
The link searches for Vilémov and its surroundings. The sources do not establish the precise point of this legend.
Approximate location · municipality or area search. The distance comes from the sources, not a currently calculated route.
Sources of the original atlas Tajemná místa · page 365
This legend preserves a folk tale. Its motifs do not constitute evidence of supernatural events.