NORTH BOHEMIA   *** Hotels   **** Hotels 
NORTH BOHEMIA

ÚSTÍ NAD LABEM (pop. 97,000) is one of the leading centres of the country's chemical industry, situated on the river Labe (Elbe) in North Bohemia. It is an important traffic junction. The town has five harbours on the Labe. The first manuscripts mentioning the town's existence date back to the mid-13th century. Ústí nad Labem rapidly developed in the 19th century. Many historic landmarks were destroyed due to the expansion of industry and during heavy bombing in 1945. Despite that, there are several interesting sights including the 14th-century Gothic church whose 65-metre spire has been leaning ever since the 1945 bombing. The Baroque St.Adalbert Church (Sv.Vojtěch) has been used as a concert hall and gallery. Outside the town centre there are the ruins of the Střekov Castle, built in the 14th century and deserted four centuries later. The castle was popular among 19th-century Romantic painters. L.A.Richter's canvas Storm at Střekov, displayed in the Dresden Gallery is one of the most outstanding Romantic paintings. The mystique of the place inspired Richard Wagner to compose his opera Tannhäuser.

LITOMĚŘICE (pop. 26,100) is an interesting historical town located on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Labe. It was founded in the 13th century and at that time it was considered one of Bohemia's leading towns and a rival to Prague. It has a Renaissance Town Hall, a City Museum and many valuable town houses lining the main square. The Baroque St.Stephen's Cathedral has a richly decorated interior, including a portrait of St.Anthony by Lucas Cranach. The town walls and high towers surrounding the historical centre rank among the most interesting examples of medieval fortification. Outside the town there are numerous orchards and vineyards. Each Septemper the nationwide exhibition of fruit, vegetables and flowers called Zahrada Čech (The Garden of Bohemia) takes place in Litoměřice.

TEREZÍN (Theresienstadt) is an old garrison town (pop. 2,900) south of Litoměřice. Its Small Fortress was built in the 1780s and named after Empress Maria Theresa. During World War II, the fortress was turned into a Nazi concentration camp in which some 80,000 Jews perished. The National Cemetery and Ghetto Museum commemorate their fate.

Teplice - the town (about 110 km from Karlovy Vary) belongs to the eldest Europian spas, it is very nice town with many parks and fountains. About 8 km from Teplice is situated the town Duchcov with baroque castle. In this castle spent last 13 years world-known Giacomo Casanova. The visitors of the castle can see the works of prominent baroque painters and sculptors, historic furniture inside from Gothic to the half of the 19th century and also the flat of Casanova.


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