Location and Significance
The execution site was located on Gallows Hill, known as Galgenberg, behind today’s Hotel Panorama. The position was deliberately chosen because it was clearly visible from the town, from the road to Ostrov and from the direction of Suchá. The gallows thus served not only as a place of execution but also as a public warning. It stood here from the beginnings of the town until 1765, when the town council lost its right of high justice. Although this right was one of the most important privileges of medieval towns, only a few written references to the Jáchymov execution site have survived. The local executioner worked not only here but also, for a fee, in Karlovy Vary, Bečov nad Teplou, Ostrov and even in Saxony.
Form of the Gallows
An important source is the map from the first military survey of 1764–1768. The gallows is marked in red as a masonry circular structure with three or four pillars supporting the beams. Its form corresponded to the preserved execution site in Horní Slavkov. It was therefore most likely a stone construction.
Search for the Lost Site
Today, almost no clear remains are visible. During field research in 2014, an area of approximately 200 metres behind Hotel Panorama was examined. By gradually excluding other locations, an oval mound immediately behind the hotel, formerly known as Villa Mayer, was identified as the most probable site. The mound measures about 6 by 6.5 metres and rises approximately 3 to 3.5 metres above the surrounding terrain. It is completely covered with vegetation. A dry-laid stone wall forms a kind of platform whose age and purpose remain unclear. A modern wooden cross with an image of the Madonna stands there today. Surface archaeological collection revealed fragments of lime mortar, stones and bone remains later confirmed to be human. The finds are stored in the Karlovy Vary Museum. The search was initiated by Dr Daniel Wojtucki.
Related Structures
The execution site was connected with other facilities. The executioner’s house was probably located in Mlýnské Valley by the road to Ostrov at the confluence of two streams. The torture chamber was situated in the basement of the town hall. The accused awaited their sentence in the municipal prison in today’s Mathesius Street No. 126. The execution cross was later moved to a bridge between the Manor Mill and Schneidenmühle and is now displayed at the town museum.
Photo gallery: https://mipalfi.rajce.idnes.cz/Popraviste_Jachymov/
