Spindleruv Mlyn

Špindlerův Mlýn is a town in the Czech Republic in the Krkonoše. It received its name (which can be literally translated as Špindler's Mill) after a mill belonging to Spindler's family, where neighbours used to meet. Nowadays it has about 1,300 permanent inhabitants.

The town is one of the most well-known and most frequented mountain resorts in the Czech Republic, with year-round use and with accommodation capacity of 10,000 beds. Špindlerův Mlýn is one of the most visited ski resorts in the Czech Republic, and has 20 runs, the most of all resorts in the country. During the winter season the area hosts the Europacup in freestyle skiing and SnowJam, a professional snowboarding event. In the surroundings there are many marked hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing trails.

Geography

Špindlerův Mlýn is situated in the high altitude of 715 m a.s.l. to 1310 m a.s.l. It lies on the confluence of the river Labe (Elbe) and Dolský potok (Dolský creek) and Špindlerův Mlýn is protected on all sides by the mountain peaks Kozí hřbety, Pláň and Mt. Medvědín. The parts of Špindlerův Mlýn are Přední Labská, Labská, Bedřichov and Svatý Petr.

Famous residents

The town is notable as the place where Czech author Franz Kafka lived when writing of one of his most famous works, The Castle (Das Schloss).