Chateau Decín / Zámek Decín - Decín (North Bohemia)
N 50° 46.753 E 014° 12.614
33U E 444320 N 5625570
Chateau Decín (Zámek Decín) is a Gothic castle rebuilt into a Baroque chateau in Decín (North Bohemia) on a sandstone rock on the right bank of the Elbe above the confluence of the Elbe and Ploucnice rivers.
Waymark Code: WM128CY
Location: Ústecký kraj, Czechia
Date Posted: 03/28/2020
Views: 14
Chateau Decín (Zámek Decín) is a Gothic castle rebuilt into a Baroque chateau in Decín (North Bohemia) on a sandstone rock on the right bank of the Elbe above the confluence of the Elbe and Ploucnice rivers.
The first fortified settlement on the rock was probably an early medieval fort. In the 13th century a Gothic castle was built in its place. At the beginning of the 14th century it was acquired by the Lords of Vartenberk, who belonged until 1511. In the second half of the 16th century, the Lords of Bünau had the old castle rebuilt into a Renaissance chateau. The third important noble family in Decín were Thun-Hohensteins, who owned the chateau in 1628–1932. Behind them the chateau was rebuilt in Baroque and Classicist style. Although serving as a mansion, until the 18th century also served as an important land fortress, which was often besieged and conquered by foreign and imperial troops.
Thun family sold the castle to the Czechoslovak state in 1932. The castle thus lost its function as a noble residence and was converted into barracks. During the Second World War they were used by the German army and between 1968 and 1991 the Soviet army. During that time, the chateau buildings fell into disrepair and the reconstruction of the chateau began in 1991, when town Decín acquired the chateau into its property. The chateau complex is open to the public during the opening hours and some of the buildings are used for ceremonial and cultural purposes. Chateau Decín belongs among the most visited chateaus in the North Bohemian region of Czechia.
[source: translated and partially adapted from Wikipedia]
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