Cheb District borders Germany in the west. It includes the Aš Panhandle area, which makes it the westernmost district of the Czech Republic. The relief is very varied and includes both flat plains and hilly areas with relatively high altitudes. The territory extends into seven geomorphological mesoregions: Cheb Basin (centre), Fichtel Mountains (west), Upper Palatine Forest (southwest), Upper Palatine Forest Foothills (south), Teplá Highlands (east), Slavkov Forest (northeast) and Ore Mountains (small part in the north). The highest point of the district is the mountain Lesný in Dolní Žandov with an elevation of 983 m (3,225 ft). The lowest point is the river bed of the Ohře in Odrava at 415 m (1,362 ft).
From the total district area of 1,045.9 km2 (403.8 sq mi), agricultural land occupies 501.7 km2 (193.7 sq mi), forests occupy 409.9 km2 (158.3 sq mi), and water area occupies 32.3 km2 (12.5 sq mi). Forests cover 39.2% of the district's area.[1]
The most important river is the Ohře, which flows across the district from west to east. Its longest tributary in the area are the rivers Plesná and Teplá. The rivers White Elster and Wondreb spring here and head to Germany. The Röslau briefly forms the Czech-German border before its confluence with the Ohře. The largest bodies of water are two reservoirs: Jesenice, built on the Wondreb, and Skalka, built on the Ohře.
The D6 motorway from Prague to Karlovy Vary and Cheb (part of the European routes E48 and E49) forks and continues to the Czech-German border to the west (as E48) and to the north (as E49).
Sights
The town centres of Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně with the spa cultural landscapes were designated a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 2021 as part of the transnational Great Spa Towns of Europe because of its springs and architectural testimony to the popularity of spa towns in Europe during the 18th through 20th centuries.[6]
The most visited tourist destinations are the Boheminium miniature park in Mariánské Lázně, Soos national nature reserve in Skalná, Cheb Castle, and Kynžvart Castle.[9]