Děčín (; ) is a city in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 46,000 inhabitants. It is the seventh largest municipality in the country by area. It is located near the border with Germany, at the confluence of the Elbe and Ploučnice rivers, on the border of two protected landscape areas.

Děčín is an important traffic junction of land, rail and water transport. The city first developed due to the importance of the Elbe River as a transport route and, from the mid-19th century, due to the important railway connection between Prague and Germany. Secondary and higher education in the city is focused on transport. Tourism is also important for Děčín's economy. The main tourist destinations in Děčín include Děčín Castle and Děčín Zoo.

Administrative division

Děčín consists of 35 municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):

  • Děčín I-Děčín (4,723)
  • Děčín II-Nové Město (5,948)
  • Děčín III-Staré Město (3,687)
  • Děčín IV-Podmokly (5,376)
  • Děčín V-Rozbělesy (342)
  • Děčín VI-Letná (7,502)
  • Děčín VII-Chrochvice (1,252)
  • Děčín VIII-Dolní Oldřichov (704)
  • Děčín IX-Bynov (3,670)
  • Děčín X-Bělá (907)
  • Děčín XI-Horní Žleb (292)
  • Děčín XII-Vilsnice (277)
  • Děčín XIII-Loubí (185)
  • Děčín XIV-Dolní Žleb (141)
  • Děčín XV-Prostřední Žleb (232)
  • Děčín XVI-Přípeř (97)
  • Děčín XVII-Jalůvčí (559)
  • Děčín XVIII-Maxičky (100)
  • Děčín XIX-Čechy (195)
  • Děčín XX-Nová Ves (218)
  • Děčín XXI-Horní Oldřichov (445)
  • Děčín XXII-Václavov (306)
  • Děčín XXIII-Popovice (175)
  • Děčín XXIV-Krásný Studenec (594)
  • Děčín XXV-Chmelnice (297)
  • Děčín XXVI-Bechlejovice (166)
  • Děčín XXVII-Březiny (1,757)
  • Děčín XXVIII-Folknáře (333)
  • Děčín XXIX-Hoštice nad Labem (45)
  • Děčín XXX-Velká Veleň (93)
  • Děčín XXXI-Křešice (728)
  • Děčín XXXII-Boletice nad Labem (4,437)
  • Děčín XXXIII-Nebočady (312)
  • Děčín XXXIV-Chlum (90)
  • Děčín XXXV-Lesná (152)

Etymology

The name is derived from the personal Slavic name Děk.

Geography

Děčín is located about northeast of Ústí nad Labem and southeast of Dresden. The municipal territory borders Germany in the north. With an area of , Děčín is the 7th largest municipality in the country by area. It lies in the transition zone between the Elbe Sandstone Mountains in the north and the Central Bohemian Uplands in the south. The highest point is a contour line on the slopes of Děčínský Sněžník at above sea level.

The city proper lies at the confluence of the Elbe and Ploučnice rivers. Most of the built-up area is situated in the river valley with an elevation of , which makes it the lowest city in the country. The entire area of the city falls into the protected landscape areas České středohoří and Labské pískovce.

Climate

Děčín's climate is classified as humid continental climate (Köppen: Cfb; Trewartha: Dobk). Among them, the annual average temperature is , the hottest month in July is , and the coldest month is in January. The annual precipitation is , of which July is the wettest with , while April is the driest with only . The extreme temperature throughout the year ranged from on 9 February 1956 to on 28 July 2013.

History

thumb|Děčín Castle, 1855

thumb|Děčín Castle above the Elbe River

According to archaeological discoveries, the settlement of the area began at the La Tène times. Slavic settlement can be documented since the 7th century. The first written mention of Děčín is from 993, when the Děčín province existed and it is assumed that Děčín was its administrative centre. Děčín was founded at the ford over the Elbe in the places where the trade route led. The Přemyslid dukes of Bohemia had a gord built for the protection of the waterway. The gord was replaced by a stone castle in the first half of the 13th century. In the second half of the 13th century, King Ottokar II founded a new royal city under the castle.

The Lords of Wartenberg acquired Děčín in 1305. They made the city their family seat, but had to sell it due to debts. From 1511 to 1515, the estate was owned by Mikuláš Trčka of Lípa, who then sold it to the Salhausen family. In 1534, Knights of Bünau purchased the estate. They had rebuilt a part of the castle into a comfortable Renaissance residence. During their rule, the city experienced rapid development. Trade, transport on the Elbe and handicrafts flourished. Stone quarries, a lime factory and a brickyard were established. This family owned Děčín until 1918.

A new development of Děčín took place in the 18th century. The biggest impetus to the development of industry was the construction of a railway from Prague to Dresden in 1851. Děčín on the right bank of the Elbe and the village of Podmokly () on the left bank became an important transport hubs. The growth of industry triggered the construction of apartments and an influx of residents. Between 1890 and 1914, population of Podmokly raised to 20,000 inhabitants. Podmokly was promoted to a town in 1901. and a forced labour camp were located in the city. After the war, the ethnic German population was expelled under terms of the 1945 Potsdam Agreement and the Beneš decrees. Both towns were merged in 1942. After 1945, the neighbouring municipalities gradually also merged with Děčín.

Demographics

Economy

The largest employer based in Děčín is ČEZ Distribuce, a part of ČEZ Group engaged in the distribution of electricity. The largest industrial companies are Constellium Extrusions Děčín, a manufacturer of aluminium products, and Chart Ferox, a manufacturer of gas storage systems.

Tourism is a significant part of the city's economy. The city benefits from its location in protected landscape areas and the proximity of the Bohemian Switzerland National Park.

Other three train stops, Děčín zastávka, Děčín-Oldřichov and Děčín-Bynov, are located on the Děčín hlavní nádraží–Telnice line, which operates only during the tourist season on weekends and holidays. The ČSD Class M 152.0 retro train drives there.

There are two public river ports.

Education and science

The Czech Technical University in Prague has a detached workplace in Děčín, specifically for its faculties of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering and Transportation. The faculties are preparing to establish a scientific centre for research of Application of AI, Development of biomaterial and HPC computing in Děčín.

Děčín is known for the Secondary School of Shipping and Technical Crafts. The school owns the largest school workshop ship in the Czech Republic.

Sport

Děčín is home to BK Děčín, a professional basketball team that plays its home games in the ARMEX Sportcentrum.

Sights

Děčín Castle

thumb|Děčín Castle

Děčín Castle is one of the most popular sights in the region. It is located on a hill near the city centre and overlooks the Elbe. Not later than in 1128, it was constructed as a wooden fortress, and replaced by a royal stone castle in the 13th century. In the 16th century, a grand Renaissance palace was constructed on the site, to be renovated in the Baroque style from the 17th century onward.

From 1628, the castle served as the administrative centre of the Thun und Hohenstein family. They built an unusual feature of the castle – the long, straight-walled road leading up to it, known as the "Long Ride" (Dlouhá jízda). The last major renovation was completed in 1803. In 1835, Frédéric Chopin wrote his Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 34 No. 1 here.

The Church of Saints Wenceslaus and Blaise was built in the Baroque style in 1754–1778. It replaced a church destroyed by a fire in 1749.

The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Děčín-Podmokly is a neo-Romanesque building. It was built in 1856–1858. The interior was painted by Joseph von Führich.

The Evangelical church in Děčín-Podmokly was built in 1881–1884. It is a three-nave eclectic building.

The Church of Saint Wenceslaus is located in Děčín-Rozbělesy. Built in 1723–1783, it was designed by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer.

The synagogue in Děčín-Podmokly was built in 1906–1907 in the faux Oriental style with Art Nouveau elements. During World War II, it lost its function and served as a warehouse. In 1994, it was returned to the local Jewish community. Today the former synagogue serves cultural and social purposes.

Bridges

thumb|The bridge Tyršův most

Staroměstský most ("Old Town Bridge") dates from 1574. This stone bridge replaced an older stone bridge, destroyed during the 1561 floods. The bridge is decorated by a Baroque sculpture group of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and John of Nepomuk, created by Michael Brokoff in 1714.

Ovčí můstek ("Sheep Bridge") is a small Renaissance bridge from 1561. The bridge is significantly arched to protect it from floods.

The most visited tourist destination in the city is Děčín Zoo. It was founded in 1948.

Notable people

  • Wenzeslaus of Thun (1629–1673), clergyman and bishop
  • Anton Kern (1710–1747), painter
  • Johann Münzberg (1799–1878), textile manufacturer in Bohemia
  • Miroslav Tyrš (1832–1884), philosopher and sports organizer
  • Franz, Prince of Thun and Hohenstein (1847–1916), Austro-Hungarian politician
  • Adolf Wilhelm (1864–1950), Austrian classical philologist and epigrapher
  • Johann Radon (1887–1956), mathematician
  • Julius Arigi (1891–1985), Austro-Hungarian fighter pilot
  • Johanna Haarer (1900–1988), German-Austrian writer
  • Maria Paudler (1903–1990), German actress
  • Hans-Georg Münzberg (1916–2000), German engineer
  • Egon Klepsch (1930–2010), German politician
  • Heinrich Hora (born 1931) German-Australian theoretical physicist
  • Wolfgang Jeschke (1936–2015), German sci-fi author
  • Bronislava Volková (born 1946), Czech-American poet and translator
  • Jiří Bartoška (1947–2025), actor and the president of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
  • Dana Chladek (born 1963), American slalom kayaker
  • Jaroslava Fabiánová (born 1965), serial killer
  • Vladimír Šmicer (born 1973), footballer
  • Jan Švec (born 1975), media pedagogue
  • Karolína Kurková (born 1984), model

Twin towns – sister cities

Děčín is twinned with:

  • Bełchatów, Poland
  • Jonava, Lithuania
  • Pirna, Germany
  • Přerov, Czech Republic
  • Ružomberok, Slovakia

<gallery>

Děčín, Levý břeh Labe s Pastýřskou stěnou Dm113435-5765 IMG 7499 2018-08-11 08.25.jpg|Left bank of the Elbe with Pastýřská stěna

Děčín, Masarykovo náměstí (2021) (5).jpg|Masarykovo Square

Děčín I, roh ulic Nerudova a 28. října.jpg|28. října Street

Děčín (Tetschen) - Rose Garden.jpg|Děčín Castle's Rose Garden

Děčín, kostel svatého Václava a Blažeje Dm255205-4084 positie2 IMG 7469 2018-08-10 18.21.jpg|Church of Saints Wencelaus and Blaise

DC-Husovo-nam-kath-Kirche.jpg|Church of Saint Francis of Assisi

Synagoga (Děčín).JPG|Former synagogue

</gallery>

References

  • Official tourist portal
  • Děčín Castle
  • Virtual show
  • Tetschen, Bohemia Historical Map of 1615 by Petrus Bertius