Stroll along the town
Ústí nad Labem is a corporate regional city situated in a marvellous river valley at the confluence of the River Elbe and Bílina, whose history dates 1000 years back. Explore the city centre admiring medieval and modern sights, look enjoy the surrounding countryside from observation points and experience the variety of possibilities for entertainment available in Ústí. We have prepared three walking tours around the city centre and three tips on how to spend free time when visiting Ústí nad Labem.
Explore the historic city centre of Ústí nad Labem
From the train station walk up a short lane V Jirchářích (in the past, trams used to go here) and get to the historic street of Hrnčířská. The starting point is the eastern part of Mírové square at the Bohemia hotel. Turn left behind the Investiční bank and get to the oldest church in Ústí the St. Adalbert´s Church (1186), rebuilt in the Baroque style by the Litoměřice builder Octavio Broggio between 1715-1730. A Dominican monastery used to be an extension to the church with a garden. The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary standing nearby was built in 1249, the presbytery was rebuilt in 1483 after damages suffered during the Hussite wars. The steeple leaning (deviating at the top from its axis by 2 m) is due to the air raids of the Allied army in April 1945. The architectural counterpart of both the churches are modern structures of the Národní and Komerční banks. In the place of the current parking place there used to be the first cemetery. We will pass the Labe department store. Before the air raid in 1945, residential houses, a synagogue and pubs used to stand here. The city centre historic ground plan with medieval fortified walls is represented by Malá and Velká hradební streets. The municipal tram-line lead through Malá hradební Street. On our left, there is a bus station and we will pass the road in the place where the Teplice Gate used to stand. We will get to Lidické Square along the Czech Police headquarters: This square used to seat the second town cemetery with a hospital Church of St. Materna. Nowadays, the square made into a pedestrian zone is closed by the Art Nouveau City Theatre (1908), built according to the plans of the Viennese architect Graf and in the east the building of the City Hall in Ústí nad Labem (1961). Between the theatre and the City Museum of Ústí n.L. we can see a silhouette of the Tyršův House with the Budvarka (1893) restaurant. We can rest in the Smetana Park outside the general post office. Northeast, the main and longest thoroughfare and commercial zone - Masarykova Street ascends with the Vladimir hotel at its horizon. Špitálské Square greets us with its facing masonry towers of the City Bath (1908). Go down along the houses and get to the former palace of Ignac Petschek. Along the former Weinmann palace, today the Public scientific library branch and a palace seating the British Council, we will get to the Evangelical Apostle Paul´s Church (1906), called the “Red church” because of the red face bricks. Go down along Horova Street to Pařížská Street along the College of Economy (1886) and get to the places, where the Dresden Gate used to stand and a town brewery built in 1642. A stream used to flow here bringing water from Knínice and then continued in an open basin running through the whole square, joining the River Elbe under the main train station. Velká hradební Street seats the so called “green school” (1893) opposite the Pivovarská restaurant. In the place of the current House of culture there used to stand a Gothic Revival villa of the Managing Director of Spolek pro chemickou a hutní výrobu, Max Scharfner. Go towards the Mariánská Rock where the Virgin Mary´s Chapel (1690) stood until 1975, we will get to the Český rozhlas building and the second part of the Public Scientific Library ( former villa of a factory owner Wolfrum). The last part of the city fortified walls beneath Mariánská Rock was pulled down in 1945. Walk below the railway viaduct and look around from the Bridge of dr. Beneše. Eastwards, the space is closed by a massif of Buková Mountain with a television transmitter. In the foreground we can see the new Mariánský Bridge and a part of the largest port on the River Elbe, meanders of which are closed by modern neighbourhoods of Krásné Březno and Kamenný Hill. Opposite we can admire a spectacular view of the city landmark - Castle Střekov and the Větruše observation restaurant on the right, beneath which the River Bílina joins the River Elbe. We will get back to the city centre along Hrnčířská Street, whose name commemorates historic past of this part of the city and the place where the gate having the same name used to stand, located in stone fortified walls.
City tour IVV No. 1
- Větruše – an excursion restaurant with a 30 m lookout observation tower was inaugurated in 1897.
- Medieval gallows – a circular stone structure from 1543, where condemned people were executed.
- Administration building of Spolchemie - a „high rise building from 1930, at the time it was built it was the highest building nationwide.
- Town Spa – built in 1908, designed by Viennese architect P. P. Brang, thermal water is pumped from a depth of 357 m.
- City Museum - opened 5. 1. 1876, in 1972 it was relocated into this building (originally a school and post office).
- North Bohemian Theatre of Opera and Ballet - from 1909 built upon the design by the Viennese architect A. Graf in the pseudo Baroque style.
- City Hall of Ústí nad Labem – originally Regional National Committee, built in 1962 announced national monument.
- Evangelical Apostle Paul´s Church - consecrated in 1906, built in the Romanesque Revival style upon the design by architect Zeissig from Leipzig, prefabricated components were used first time in Czechoslovakia.
- Centre of pedagogy, house No. 6 – originally a palace of a mine owner I. Petschek.
- North Bohemian Scientific Library, house No. 3 – originally a palace of a mine owner J. Weinmann, the interior allegedly comprises trafficked fire from Pompei.
- Summer open-air cinema – the largest roofed summer open-air cinema in Europe with a capacity of 5000 sitting spectators, hosting annual national final round of the Trampská porta.
- Czech Broadcasting Corporation SEVER – originally a palace villa of an entrepreneurial dynasty of Wolfrum, designed by a Viennese architect H. Miksch.
- North Bohemian Scientific Library – originally a family villa of the son of the dynasty Wolfrum founder originated in the 90´s of the 19 century.
- Column with St. Anthony of Padua – donation of the city resident, wax-chandler T. F. Kuhn from 1706.
- Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary – a Gothic structure dating back to about 1319 and later extensions. Severely damaged in the last two days of WWII by air raids. Since that time, the 48 m high steeple leans by 198 cm from its axis.
- St. Adalbert´s Church – a Baroque structure dating back to 1730 , designed by the Litoměřice architect O. Broggio. Built in the place of the oldest church in Ústí n. L. (referred to in 1186). The church had a Dominican monastery and a garden appended.
City tour IVV No. 2
- Větruše – called Ferdinand´s Height formerly, with a 30 m high lookout tower. In 1839, citizen Jan Tomáš had the roads on his land finished, to allow visitors views of the River Elbe valley. In 1848, a dance hall was built here with a restaurant. Later on, the structures became obsolete. They were purchased and in the tender organised in 1896 the project submitted by the local building company Alvin Köhler won. In 1897, the new building was inaugurated. The hill also has its legend. There used to stand a small fort on the top. Its owner hated burgesses and he was really a troublesome person. For example, he used a slingshot to shoot carrions into the town. One day, when he left his fort and only women, children and old men remained in the fort, the town citizens broke into it and damaged everything.
- Vaňov waterfall – its height is 40 m, rock basalt columns are more than 1 meter in the diameter. The waterfall itself is 12 m in height, the others are cascades of the Podlešínský Brook. The most beautiful view of the waterfall is in winter with icy curtains, lace and stalactite ornaments formed.
- Observation point – a marked path leads us to an observation platform, offering a beautiful view of Castle Střekov and the River Elbe with the surrounding countryside.
- Vrkoč – national natural monument – a rock ridge of olivine basalt descending to the River Elbe near Vaňov, whose separating columns are arranged in a form of a turned fan. The name is derived from its similarity to combed women hair.
- Masaryk Sluices – built in 1923 - 1935. At the time it was built it was the largest water works project in Czechoslovakia. By raising the river surface by 8 metres a lake was formed in a length of nearly 20 km reaching as far as Lovosice.
- Castle Střekov – founded under rule of John of Luxembourg (1310 - 1318) on a 114 m high steep phonolite rock in the Gothic style. Not only was it used to protect trade routes in the River Elbe basin, but also to protect the country from foreign army invasions. In the mid of the 16th century the Lobkowitz Family, who are the current owners, bought it. In 1842, German composer Richard Wagner visited the castle and a few motifs for his Tannhäuser opera stroke him. We can also find plaques of painters inspired by the castle, i.e. A. L. Richter, C. R. Croll, E. G. Doerell, Ant. Pucherna. Castle Střekov was also one of the castles visited by K. H. Mácha.
Recommendation
Excursion chateau Větruše with an entertainment zone
Větruše is one of the remarkable landmarks of the city of Ústí nad Labem, its significance is given by its historical and social value of the structure which reflects the lifestyle at the turnout of the 19th and 20th century. The building is situated on a rock and a terrace formed by abutment stone walls on the ridge overlooking the River Elbe valley beneath the Soudný Hill (Judgment Hill). The main building of Větruše comprises a restaurant with an observation terrace, a dance hall and a few lounges that can also be used as conference facilities. An extension holding a hotel is anticipated in the future. The structure features a 30m high tower, also used as an observation point. The tower offers a marvellous view of the River Elbe basin and the city of Ústí nad Labem. To provide better guidance, the interior displays photographs offering a panoramic view of the countryside around and highlighted places of interest. Admission to the tower is free and the tower is open all year round. Another attraction of the place is a mirror labyrinth and a maze, playground and a sports centre. The mirror labyrinth offers fun and entertainment to tourists, who enjoy their funny reflections in the distorting and convex mirrors, they can see shows displayed in the exhibition room of the tower and visit the information centre. Near the mirror labyrinth visitors can stroll in a maze of green white cedar trees. The sports centre has tennis courts, a basketball and volleyball court and table tennis facilities. Children will have fun in the children’s corner with climbing frame. The area also has parking lots for both personal vehicles and buses.
Other information on Větruše, including opening hours, booking and prices can be found on Municipal services website
Ústí nad Labem ZOO
Not far from the city centre the ZOO is situated in a pleasant and peaceful place. It was established on the Mariánská Rock hill by the city businessman and ornithologist PhDr. Heinrich Lumpe in 1908, on an area of 6 ha. „The first central European natural and conservation bird sanctuary“ was continuously improved following the period garden architecture styles. As a result, in the place of the abandoned brickworks a puff-stone dwarf castle was built with a fairy tale cave, rose garden, small lakes and fairy tale scenes. The area was extended during the following years to its current size of 26 ha. The Ústí nad Labem ZOO is open all year round and keeps 230 species and 1500 animals from all over the world (many of them are recorded in the International list of endangered and threatened species (RDB) and kept in 27 European conservancy programmes (EEP), it is a member of the Czech and Slovak ZOOs Union and a member of the European Association of zoological gardens and aquaria. To make the orientation easier, the ZOO established a small and a big tour marked in blue and red.
For visitors entering the ZOO from Drážďanská Street main entrance or at the upper part (Výstupní Street) can see shows organised for visitors – Californian seal training in a pool, Indian female elephant training walking along the ZOO premises, beast of prey feeding in the beast of prey pavilion, hawk training in the summer season at the Koliba restaurant and in the beast of prey pavilion enclosure the Malaysian bears look for hidden delicacies on large tree trunks (favourite is the so called honey tree). The ZOO also organises programmes and quizzes usually for school children.
They can see fibre-glass models of animals and slides in the „Children World“, wooden and plastic models of prehistoric animals in their real size in the „Dinosaur Trail“, the “Children ZOO“ has a contact point with selected domesticated animals, and in the summer children can enjoy a pony ride.
Two snack bars at the main entrance offer refreshment, in the summer the Koliba restaurant situated in the upper part of the ZOO and offering a minigolf course, opens in summer. A variety of souvenirs can be bought in a shop next to the exotic animal pavilion.
For more information see Entertainment and sport - ZOO and the ZOO Internet www.zoousti.cz.
The castle was founded under rule of John of Luxembourg between 1310- 1318 and purchased by Polyxena of Lobkowitz in 1615. The castle was damaged during the 30 Year´s War and the 7 Year´s War. In 1992, the castle was returned to William Lobkowicz. The castle has an exposition of small findings from the period of its reconstruction and displays copies of paintings by artists who painted the castle. The highest platform offers a view of the city, the Rive Elbe and the distant ridges of the Ore Mountains. Beneath the castle. The first steamship Bohemia sailed the river in 1841 (from Obříství to Dresden), making its way using the chain laid on the River Elbe bed. Since 1874, the castle also overlooks trains travelling beneath. The Masaryk Sluices with navigation chambers, built to the design by architect František Vahala (1923-35), also comprise the largest water plant. Visitors to the castle restaurant can enjoy a glorious view of the River Elbe basin from the restaurant terrace.
The castle cash desk sells postcards of the castle and an information brochure on its history. A plaque in the tower passage commemorates the visit of German composer Richard Wagner, who, inspired by the castle atmosphere, developed a few motives for his Tannhäuser opera (1842) here. The romantic scenery of the castle was also inspiration for painters A. L. Richter, E. G. Doerell, C. R. Croll, K. H. Mácha, a poet T. Körner as well as contemporary artists.
For more details see section Sightseeing/Castles and Chateaux/Castle Střekov and www.hradstrekov.cz.
Publications
City tour IVV No. 1 – a brochure available in the Information Centre
City tour IVV No. 2 – a brochure available in the Information Centre
Ústí nad Labem and surrounding – 24 interesting places in Ústí nad Labem – a set of leaflets available in the Information Centre
Větruše – a brochure available in the Information Centre
Mirror Maze – a leaflet available in the Information Centre
Accommodation
Name: Interhotel BOHEMIA
Address: Mírové nám. 6, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone: 475 311 111
Email.: info@ihbohemia.cz
URL: www.ihbohemia.com
Name Hotel Best Western VLADIMIR****
Address Masarykova 36, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone 475 235 111
Email. booking@hotelvladimir.cz
URL www.hotelvladimir.cz
Name Guesthouse DUEL
Address Moskevská 30, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone 475 210 640, 776 185 513
Email. pension.duel@volny.cz
URL www.pensionduel.o1.cz
Name Guesthouse Lada
Address Balbínova 2, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone 475 201 530, 602 410 569
Email. penzionlada@volny.cz
URL www.penzionlada.wz.cz
Name Guesthouse ZÁMEČEK
Address Na Čihadle 910/18, 400 03 Ústí nad Labem
Phone 475 531 533, 732 827 854
Email. penzion_zamecek@atlas.cz
URL www.hotel-ustinadlabem.cz
For other options for accommodation please refer to the accommodation database
Catering
Name Restaurant VĚTRUŠE
Address Fibichova 392, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone +420 776 693 293
Email. vanoucekjun@volny.cz
URL www.vetruse.cz
Name Restaurant TA FANARIA
Address Hrnčířská 23, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone +420 475 216 378
Name ŽERNOSECKÁ WINE BAR
Address Horova 6, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone +420 608 480 284, 475 200 451
Email. ubv@skvelavina.cz
URL www.skvelavina.cz
Name Restaurant U ŠPEJCHARA
Address Pivovarská 3, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone +420 603 747 186
Name Restaurant NA RYCHTĚ
Address Klášterní 75, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone +420 475 210 094, +420 777 901 790
Email. rychta.ul@worldonline.cz , ladis.maly@seznam.cz
URL www.sweb.cz/restauracerychtausti.cz
Name Restaurant PIVOVARSKÁ ŠENKOVNA
Address Velká Hradební 235, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone +420 475 216 015
Name Restaurant U FRANTIŠKA JOSEFA
Address Hradiště 96/6, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone +420 475 200 874
Name Restaurant LA CASITA DE ESPAŇA
Address Hrnčířská 12, 400 01 Ústí nad Labem
Phone +420 475 201 888
Name Restaurant LABSKÁ BAŠTA
Address Střekovské nábřeží 981, 400 03 Ústí nad Labem
Phone +420 475 530 250
URL www.labskabasta.wz.cz
Name Restaurant KOVÁRNA
Address Na Zacházce 558, 400 03 Ústí nad Labem
Phone +420 475 531 644
Email. v.kytka@seznam.cz
URL www.restaurant-kovarna.cz
For other options for catering facilities see the catering database
Photos