Varnsdorf (; ) is a town in Děčín District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 15,000 inhabitants. It lies on the Mandau River in the Lusatian Highlands, on the border with Germany. Varnsdorf is an industrial town, known primarily for the textile and engineering industries.
From 1681 to 1919, Varnsdorf was owned by the Liechtenstein family. Until its promotion to a town in 1868, it was just a village.
Administrative division
Varnsdorf consists of three municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):
- Varnsdorf (14,049)
- Studánka (340)
- Světliny 1.díl (1)
Etymology
The name is derived from the Middle High German given name Werinolt. In the oldest documents, the settlement's name was written in Latin as Vernoldi villa, meaning "Werinolt's village", but soon it was distorted to Warnsdorf. The Czech name is a transcription of the German name.
Geography
Varnsdorf is located about northeast of Děčín. It lies in the salient region of Šluknov Hook, on the border with Germany.
Varnsdorf is situated in the Lusatian Highlands. The highest point is the hill Špičák at above sea level. The Mandau River (here called Mandava) flows through the town.
History
The first written mention of Varnsdorf is from 1357. The village was founded in the first half of the 13th century. In 1681, the entire Varnsdorf estate was purchased by the Liechtenstein family and it remained in their possession until 1919.
In 1849, Old Varnsdorf merged with five municipalities and created a new municipality called Varnsdorf. It was the largest municipality in the Austrian Empire by population without town rights. In 1868, Varnsdorf became a town.
Before the Holocaust, 211 Jews lived in Varnsdorf. Following the end of World War II, most of its ethnic German population was expelled to Germany.
In 1980, the municipality of Studánka joined Varnsdorf.
Around 2,500 Buddhist Vietnamese live in and around Varnsdorf. In 2008, the Thien An Buddhist Pagoda was consecrated in Varnsdorf, the first Vietnamese Buddhist temple in the Czech Republic.
Economy
thumb|Aerial view of Náměstí E. Beneše
Varnsdorf is an industrial centre of the region. The town became well known for the textile industry. Its tradition here dates back to 1777, when the Velveta company was founded and became a significant manufacturer of cotton fabrics, especially for clothing purposes. Other big textile company with headquarters in Varnsdorf is Frottana – Bohemia, producer of towels.
The engineering industry is represented by Továrny obráběcích strojů – TOS company (machine tools manufacturer) and KWL s.r.o., producer of cable harnesses.
Culture
thumb|Church of Saints Peter and Paul on the square Náměstí E. Beneše
Varnsdorf is home to the Town Theatre Varnsdorf. The theatre building includes an art gallery.
Sport
The town is home to the football club FK Varnsdorf. Until its relegation in 2025, the club played in the Czech National Football League.
Sights
thumb|Varnsdorf Museum
There are several churches in Varnsdorf. The Church of Saints Peter and Paul is the oldest church in the town. It was built in 1774–1776 on the site of the original church from the 13th century. Its late Baroque decoration was finished in 1777.
The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is located in Studánka. It was built in the neo-Romanesque style in 1872. The Old Catholic Church was built in 1875. The neo-Gothic Evangelical church (so-called "Red Church") was built in 1905. The Church of Saint Charles Borromeo was finished in 1912.