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Sightseeing tour across Úštěk

Castle - Manor House

The core of the castle that has remained preserved until today was built in the last third of the 14th century when the castle began to grow in the middle of the town. The central part is formed by a palace with thick walls, especially in the lower part. The palace was several times reconstructed and renovated during the Gothic era. In the 16th century a large hall on the second floor was added. The cellar rooms of the palace were hewn directly in the sandstone subsoil. To the northwest the castle is atypically closed with a tower-like building in Baroque style with transversal windows that let the visitor guess that it was a staircase tower. In 1779 the townsmen who had the brewing license bought the castle and made it into a malt house. The reconstruction from that time, for instance the addition of a chimney, the removing of the staircase and the modification of the vaulting, distorted the style of the original castle. After 1945 the castle became a shabby ruin and the structural condition of the building deteriorated further. Currently, a project is being developed to save the castle construction, the implementation will need much time and financial means.

The castle lends an excellent atmosphere to theater and musical performances that are arranged during municipal festivals.


St. Peter and Paul Church - Míírové Square

St. Peter and Paul Church - Míírové Square The church was built in late Baroque style in the years 1764-1772 in the place of an older St. Michael Church from the 14th century. On both sides of the western front the statues of St. Peter and Paul are placed on the ledge. The main altar is decorated with a painting by Karel Škréta from 1656 representing Mary in conversation with St. Peter and St. Paul. The stone baptismal font in Rococo style is also remarkable. The carvings as well as the carved pulpit were made by the local sculptor Jiří Vančura. The organ case was made by the joiner Ambrož Tauchmann from Hoštka according to Lauterer's design. The organ is more recent and was created in 1915 by Jindřich Šifner from Prague.

Reconstruction works started in 1999, the castle was also equipped with lighting.


The Pikart Tower - Manor House

The Pikart Tower - Manor House It is the largest and strongest tower of the town fortification, built by the Hussite captain Václav Carda from Petrovice in 1428 (the word "Pikart" is a derogative name for a Hussite follower). The tower was built of sandstone and its walls are 2 meters thick. The topmost story has a lower ceiling than the other. When the tower burnt down in 1859 it was not restored in the original height. It is planned to establish a municipal museum within the tower's walls.


Parsonage on the Mírové Square

Parsonage on the Mírové Square The two-floor building on the market with seven window axes was built in Baroque style in 1721, most probably by Octavio Broggio, an Italian architect living in Litoměřice whose works are spread throughout Northern Bohemia.


Bird Houses - Kamenná Street

The houses were built in the middle of the 19th century by Italian railway construction workers. They are small building of wood next to a rock reminiscent of bird nests. They are connected with cellar rooms hollowed out in the rock. They have a peculiar form--rear parts of the houses are multi-storied while their fronts are so low that one can touch the eaves with one's hand (from the 1. Máje Street).


Western Part of the market - Gable houses on Mírové Square

Western Part of the market - Gable houses on Mírové Square The well-preserved gable houses Nr. 16/29 - 28/42 are evidence of the traditional architecture of a small medieval town. The oldest houses were probably wooden and had stone cellars with several stories. In the 16th century, many two story stone houses with workshops and gable on the ground floor were built. The house No. 19/29 hides an original black kitchen, the house No. 16/29 has a later Rococo facing wall.


Cellar vaulting - Manor House on Mírové Square

The vaulting dates back to the middle of the 14th century. It was hollowed out 3-4 floors below the whole market square and the castle in the sandstone subsoil. Until the 17th century the cellars served as escape ways leading up to the Helfenburg Castle. Later, fruits and vegetables were stored in the corridors. The cellar rooms can be visited during guided tours.


Jewish Synagogue - Podskalská Street

Jewish Synagogue - Podskalská Street The architectural landmark of this town quarter was formed by a rare looking tower-like building. After the reconstruction, the synagogue will serve as a place for cultural events.


The house of Alois Klár - Mírové Sq. 75

The place of birth of the Alois Klár (1763-1833), professor of Greek language and literature at Charles' University of Prague who co-founded the educational institute for the blind in Prague in 1807. Later, the institute and the whole quarter of Prague were named after him.


Kudlich Memorial - Mírové Square

The memorial is situated at the back of the St. Peter and Paul Church, opposite to the Pod Podloubím restaurant. Originally, a memorial to the Emperor Joseph II. stood here. His statue was removed and replace by another in the form of a plough in honor of the Austrian Parliament deputy Hans Kudlich who made a substantial contribution to the abolishment of serfdom.


Jesuit Court - Rybniční Street

Jesuit Court - Rybniční Street There is a walled Baroque gate with a gable and a year mark of 1677, next a small gate marked 1711, and also a later building of folk architecture nearby. After the dissolution of the Jesuit order the courts and lands property were divided into plots and the village of Zelená Ves was built in the place. J. J. Leitenberter, an important Bohemian businessman, founded a bleaching house and a dye house here in 1800.


Trinity Church - Hřbitovní Street

The small church was catholic already before the Battle of White Hill when the protestants gained superiority over the town. With the exception of the western entrance where pointed arches remained, the church was reconstructed in Baroque style. Around the church there used to be a cemetery and a suburb. The church serves now for burial purposes.


Barvíř Pond

In the north of the sandstone foothills the Barvíř Pond was built as early as in the Middle Ages. It was an important source of water for the town, particularly for the weaving industry. In the year 2000 the pond was reconstructed. The dam and both outlets were built anew, banks were adapted and a 6 meter thick sludge layer was removed from the pond bottom. Nowadays, the pond is used as a favorite place for angling, the necessary angling license (1 or 3 days, 1 week or whole season) can be obtained from the municipal authorities or bought in the porter's lodge on Chmelař Lake.


Chmelař Lake

Chmelař Lake The lake is an important holiday resort with a water area of 67 ha and 2 maintained beaches. Chmelař is known under the name of "lake" but it is, similar to the nearby Mácha Lake, the result of a misinterpretation. In fact, Chmelař is an artificial pond. It was created in the 1960s in the place of an old medieval Great Pond. The new, 400 meter embankment raised the water level and overflowed the small settlement of Zelená which disappeared under the water. Chmelař is a favorite holiday resort. The camping site has a capacity of 1000 beds, two beaches and a sports center with mini golf, sand volleyball and table tennis facilities and boat and bicycle lending office. The services enable the visitors to spend pleasant weekends and holidays at the lake.


Ostré (3 km)

The pilgrimage place Ostré was founded by the Jesuits who built here a small church with two belfries and a impressive staircase between 1703 and 1707. At the annual feast on 3 May, the place is full of pilgrims. The place has a splendid view of the romantic Úštěk Basin with Sedlo, the highest hill of the Czech Central Highland (725 meters). The building are owned by the Catholic church.


Konojedy (9 km)

The nearby community of Konojedy is situated in a large architectural complex of Servit monastery. The monastery was founded by František Rudolf Sweert-Špork in the year 1746. After the order was later dissolved, the monastery was bought by the son of the founder for 6000 guldens from the state and transformed into a chateau. Until the 1990s the architectural complex belonged to the army and later privatized. Unfortunately, it is a dilapidated building now.