DÃÂÃÂÃÂn (; ) is a city in the ÃÂstÃÂ 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 Czech-German state border, at the confluence of the Elbe and PlouÃÂnice rivers, on the border of two protected landscape areas.
DÃÂÃÂÃÂn 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 DÃÂÃÂÃÂn's economy. The main tourist destinations in DÃÂÃÂÃÂn include DÃÂÃÂÃÂn Castle and DÃÂÃÂÃÂn Zoo.
DÃÂÃÂÃÂn consists of 35 municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):
The name is derived from the personal Slavic name DÃÂk.
DÃÂÃÂÃÂn is located about northeast of ÃÂstànad Labem and southeast of Dresden. The municipal territory borders Germany in the north. With an area of , DÃÂÃÂÃÂn 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 DÃÂÃÂÃÂnský SnÃÂà ¾nÃÂk at above sea level.
The city proper lies at the confluence of the Elbe and PlouÃÂnice 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 ÃÂeské stà Âedohoà Âàand Labské pÃÂskovce.
DÃÂÃÂÃÂn'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.
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 DÃÂÃÂÃÂn is from 993, when the DÃÂÃÂÃÂn province existed and it is assumed that DÃÂÃÂÃÂn was its administrative centre. DÃÂÃÂÃÂn was founded at the ford over the Elbe in the places where the trade route led. The Pà Âemyslid 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 DÃÂÃÂÃÂn 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 MikulÃ¡à ¡ TrÃÂka of LÃÂpa, 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.
The Knights of Bünau introduced Protestantism to the region, however the Protestant belief was suppressed by the Habsburg kings in the course of the Counter-Reformation, and the Bünaus were driven out upon the 1620 Battle of White Mountain. In 1628, they sold the estate to the Thun und Hohenstein family. This family owned DÃÂÃÂÃÂn until 1918. The city suffered during the Thirty Years' War. In 1631 it was occupied by the Saxons and in 1639 and 1648 it was conquered by the Swedish army. As a result of the war, DÃÂÃÂÃÂn turned into a small insignificant town.
In the 1768, a spring of mineral water was discovered in the nearby village of HornÃ à ½leb (today part of DÃÂÃÂÃÂn). Count Johann Joseph Thun founded here a small spa in 1777. The spa prospered and the Thun family built additional infrastructure. Due to the development of industry and traffic, which brought noise to the area, the spa began to decline, and in 1906 the Thuns sold it. In 1922, the spa was finally closed.
A new development of DÃÂÃÂÃÂn 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. DÃÂÃÂÃÂn 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.
Following World War I, since 1918, the area was part of Czechoslovakia. Upon the 1938 Munich Agreement, both towns were annexed by Nazi Germany and incorporated into the Reichsgau Sudetenland. Under German occupation, a Gestapo prison 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 Beneà ¡ decrees. Both towns were merged in 1942. After 1945, the neighbouring municipalities gradually also merged with DÃÂÃÂÃÂn.
DÃÂÃÂÃÂn was badly hit by the 2002 European flood.
The largest employer based in DÃÂÃÂÃÂn is ÃÂEZ Distribuce, a part of ÃÂEZ Group engaged in the distribution of electricity. The largest industrial companies are Constellium Extrusions DÃÂÃÂÃÂn, 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.
DÃÂÃÂÃÂn is a significant junction of land, rail and water transport, situated near an important Czech-German border crossing. The city is located at the intersection of roads I/13 (from Teplice to Liberec) and I/62 (from ÃÂstÃÂ nad Labem to the Czech-German border), which are parts of the European route E442).
The railway station DÃÂÃÂÃÂn hlavnànádraà ¾Ã is located on one of the most important Czech railway lines, which leads from Prague to DÃÂÃÂÃÂn via ÃÂstànad Labem, and continues to Dresden, Berlin, Hamburg and Kiel. Other lines that lead from or through the city are ÃÂstànad LabemâÂÂLiberec, DÃÂÃÂÃÂnâÂÂKadaà Â, and DÃÂÃÂÃÂnâÂÂRumburk. In addition to the main railway station, the large territory of DÃÂÃÂÃÂn is served by eleven other train stations: DÃÂÃÂÃÂn-Staré MÃÂsto, DÃÂÃÂÃÂn východ, DÃÂÃÂÃÂn-Pà ÂÃÂpeà Â, DÃÂÃÂÃÂn-Prostà ÂednÃ à ½leb, DÃÂÃÂÃÂn-ÃÂertova Voda, Boletice nad Labem, Bà Âeziny u DÃÂÃÂÃÂna, DolnÃ à ½leb, DolnÃ à ½leb zastávka, Kà Âeà ¡ice u DÃÂÃÂÃÂna and Vilsnice.
Other three train stops, DÃÂÃÂÃÂn zastávka, DÃÂÃÂÃÂn-Oldà Âichov and DÃÂÃÂÃÂn-Bynov, are located on the DÃÂÃÂÃÂn hlavnànádraà ¾ÃÂâÂÂTelnice line, which operates only during the tourist season on weekends and holidays. The ÃÂSD Class M 152.0 retro train drives there.
There are two public river ports.
The Czech Technical University in Prague has a detached workplace in DÃÂÃÂÃÂn, 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 DÃÂÃÂÃÂn.
DÃÂÃÂÃÂn is known for the Secondary School of Shipping and Technical Crafts. The school owns the largest school workshop ship in the Czech Republic.
DÃÂÃÂÃÂn is home to BK DÃÂÃÂÃÂn, a professional basketball team that plays its home games in the ARMEX Sportcentrum.
DÃÂÃÂÃÂn 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 â the long, straight-walled road leading up to it, known as the "Long Ride" (Dlouhá jÃÂzda). The last major renovation was completed in 1803. In 1835, Frédéric Chopin wrote his Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 34 No. 1 here.
In 1932, financial problems forced the Thun und Hohenstein family to sell the castle to the Czechoslovak state. It served as army barracks, then it was appropriated by occupying Germans as a military garrison during World War II. Lastly, it was occupied by Soviet troops, who invaded from the east and rousted the Germans.
The Soviet Army departed in 1991, leaving the castle in a state of disrepair. In 2005, the government completed a restoration of a large part of the castle and opened it as a museum and venue for private gatherings and public events.
The Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is one of the most important monuments of the city. It was built in the early Baroque style in 1687âÂÂ1691 by the Thun und Hohenstein family as a castle church. A covered corridor on pillared arcades connects the church with the castle. The Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows adjoins the church from the south side.
The Church of Saints Wenceslaus and Blaise was built in the Baroque style in 1754âÂÂ1778. It replaced a church destroyed by a fire in 1749.
The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in DÃÂÃÂÃÂn-Podmokly is a neo-Romanesque building. It was built in 1856âÂÂ1858. The interior was painted by Joseph von Führich.
The Evangelical church in DÃÂÃÂÃÂn-Podmokly was built in 1881âÂÂ1884. It is a three-nave eclectic building.
The Church of Saint Wenceslaus is located in DÃÂÃÂÃÂn-RozbÃÂlesy. Built in 1723âÂÂ1783, it was designed by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer.
The synagogue in DÃÂÃÂÃÂn-Podmokly was built in 1906âÂÂ1907 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.
StaromÃÂstský 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.
OvÃÂàmà ¯stek ("Sheep Bridge") is a small Renaissance bridge from 1561. The bridge is significantly arched to protect it from floods.
Tyrà ¡à ¯v most ("Tyrà ¡ Bridge") is one of the main landmarks of DÃÂÃÂÃÂn. This steel bridge was built in 1933 on the site of the older Empress Elisabeth Bridge, which was no longer suitable for increased traffic. The steel structure is supported by modified pillars from the original bridge. The bridge was named in honour of the local native Miroslav Tyrà ¡.
In the Elbe near the left bank stands a basalt hunger stone, which is visible only when water levels are low. It is one of the oldest hydrological monuments in Central Europe. It is an indicator of drought in the region. The oldest legible record for which the time of origin is verified dates from 1616.
The most visited tourist destination in the city is DÃÂÃÂÃÂn Zoo. It was founded in 1948.
DÃÂÃÂÃÂn is twinned with: