Usti Region – ÚSTECKÝ KRAJ
One of the best known sites in this region is the Bohemian Switzerland National Park – NÁRODNÍ PARK ČESKÉ ŠVÝCARSKO. It is a miraculous and unique world, a beautiful land of magnificent rock towns – SKALNÍ MĚSTA, romantic valleys – ROMANTICKÁ ÚDOLÍ, wild gorges – DIVOKÉ ROKLE, picturesque villages, deep forests – HLUBOKÉ LESY, twisting roads and rivers, rock castles – SKALNÍ HRADY and caves – JESKYNĚ. You may see all these wanders by passing through one of the world’s wonders – the Pravcicka Gate – PRAVČICKÁ BRÁNA . It is a beautiful and majestic rocky bridge 16 meters high with an arch almost 22 meters wide. The view of the gate, which is almost like the entrance to heaven – NEBE, and the panoramic view of the surrounding sandstone mountains – PÍSKOVCOVÉ SKÁLY – and bushy forests is a sight that you can never forget.
The meanders of the Elbe river – ŘEKA LABE – surrounded by picturesque hills, steep fields and meadows make up the famous Porta Bohemica – BRÁNA ČECH, a breath-taking area of Europe admired by travellers and painters for hundreds of years. It is a beautiful and splendidly symmetrical canyon-like valley – KAŇONOVITÉ ÚDOLÍ, through which the river enters the hilly landscape of the Czech Central Highlands – ČESKÉ STŘEDOHOŘÍ. Although Porta Bohemica is only 4 kilometres long, it gave its name to a whole region that nobody calls anything other than the Gateway to Bohemia.
The highest mountain of the Czech Central Highlands – ČESKÉ STŘEDOHOŘÍ – is MILEŠOVKA – it is also considered the most windy mountain in the Czech republic. The Czech Central Highlands is a wonderfully beautiful picturesque landscape created by the fiery force of the Earth when massive volcano eruptions – SOPEČNÉ ERUPCE – and the subsequent upheaval of the Earth’s surface – NÁSLEDNÉ ZDVIHÁNÍ ZEMSKÉHO POVRCHU – created volcanic hills – SOPEČNÁ POHOŘÍ, cones – KUŽELY, mound sand ridges – PÍSEČNÉ HŘEBENY. Centuries later, water and wind, formed, finished and tuned the shapes of those magnificent hills.
City of Usti nad Labem – MĚSTO ÚSTÍ NAD LABEM – is the largest city in the Usti Region. It is spanning the Elbe River. Its dominating sight, Strekov castle – HRAD STŘEKOV, is one of the most romantic castles in the Czech Republic. Since the end of the Second World War, when Usti nad Labem was bombed, the Cathedral of the Assumption – KOSTEL NANEBEVZETÍ PANNY MARIE – has had the wonkiest tower – NEJŠIKMĚJŠÍ VĚŽ – north of the Alps.
LITOMĚŘICE is an eye-catching historical city. Besides the mysterious catacombs – a labyrinth of Gothic and Renaissance cellars – LABYRINT GOTICKÝCH A RENESANČNÍCH SKLEPŮ – Litoměřice is known for the Cathedral of St. Stephen – KOSTEL SVATÉHO ŠTĚPÁNA . Gently and calm atmosphere, winding streets, ramparts – OPEVNĚNÍ and city walls – MĚSTSKÉ HRADBY – all combine to make the royal city of Litomerice – KRÁLOVSKÉ MĚSTO LITOMĚŘICE a magnificent tourist destination.
DĚČÍN is the lowest-situated town – NEJNÍŽE POLOŽENÉ MĚSTO – in the Czech Republic (135 metres above sea level). A dominant feature of the town is a large chateau – ZÁMĚK DĚČÍN – located on the rock above the river Elbe and surrounded by gardens. Beside Synagogue – SYNAGÓGA – and many churches, many visitors admire the former Decin brewery – DĚČÍNSKÝ PIVOVAR – and the Decin ZOO – ZOOLOGICKÁ ZAHRADA.
City of Teplice – MĚSTO TEPLICE – is a pretty spa town – LÁZEŇSKÉ MĚSTEČKO – located at the foot of the Ore Mountains – NA ÚPATÍ KRUŠNÝCH HOR. Springs beneficial to those suffering from heart and vein diseases – PRAMENY VHODNÉ PRO LÉČBU SRDEČNÍCH A CEVNÍCH CHOROB – were discovered and used as early as the 12th century. Since then, people have been going there from all over Europe. In the 18th and 19th centuries Teplice was one of the top European places to be seen at. The town was called the Saloon of Europe – SALÓN EVROPY or Little Paris – MALÁ PAŘÍŽ.
City of Zatec – MĚSTO ŽATEC – is the capital city of hop growing – PĚSTOVÁNÍ CHMELE. Hop cones – CHMELOVÉ HLÁVKY – from Zatec are the most popular in the world, and are globally used for beer brewing. When you visit the unique technical monument zone, see the Grandiose Hop Museum – CHMELAŘSKÉ MUZEUM ŽATEC (out of the six hop museums in the world, Zatec has the largest exposition – NEJVĚTŠÍ EXPOZICE NA SVĚTĚ), with a comprehensive overview of the hop growing process and finally the Palace of Hops and Beer – CHRÁM CHMELE A PIVA – a fascinating, interactive and adventurous exhibition with the only hop astronomical clock in the world – JEDINÝ CHMELOVÝ ORLOJ NA SVĚTĚ. This clock has a unique sight – an elevator with 3D projection where you can fly in balloon over the city, or you can board a spaceship and observe the hop zone from space.
