Duchcov, Teplice, Ústí nad Labem Region, Czech Republic

🇨🇿 Duchcov (Dux) is a town in Teplice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. Duchcov is known for the Duchcov Castle. The historic town centre with the castle complex is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.

Geography Duchcov is located about 6 km (4 mi) south-west of Teplice and 20 km (12 mi) south-west of Ústí nad Labem. It lies in the Most Basin. The Loučeňský Stream flows through the town. The town is surrounded by several ponds and artificial lakes.

History The first written mention of Duchcov is from 1207, referring to the older name Hrabišín. The name of Duchcov is first mentioned in 1240. In the 14th century, Duchcov was a serf town surrounded by walls with three gates. In these times, the Romanesque Church of St. George and the Dominican monastery were in the town. At the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, Duchcov became the seat of the estate owners, the Kaplíř of Sulevice family, and in the 16th century, the Lobkowicz family acquired Duchcov. By marrying a widow from the Lobkowicz family, the Wallenstein family acquired the town.

A brewery was established in 1675. In 1763, the first coal mine was opened near the town. In the 19th century, Duchcov got industrial character. A sugar factory and a porcelain factory were established. In 1867, the railway was built, which enabled the rapid development of coal mining. Due to the influx of workers from the hinterland, the town with a German majority was transformed into a Czech town.

Until 1918, Dux – Duchcov was part of Austria-Hungary, head of the district with the same name, one of the 94 Bezirkshauptmannschaften in Bohemia.

In 1918, Duchcov became a part of independent Czechoslovakia. In 1938, as a result of the Munich Agreement, the town was ceded to Nazi Germany and administered as part of Reichsgau Sudetenland. In May 1945, after the liberation of Czechoslovakia, Duchcov returned under Czechoslovak administration. The Sudeten German population was expelled in 1945 and replaced by Czech settlers.

Transport Duchcov lies on the Děčín–Kadaň railway line.

Sights The main landmark of the town is the Duchcov Castle. The castle was built in the 13th century as a fortress and later was rebuilt in the Neoclassical style. It is protected as a national cultural monument. Today the castle is owned by the state. It is open to visitors and offers guided tours.

The Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady is located next to the castle, on Republiky Square in the historic centre. It was built in the Baroque style in the 1720s. Other valuable buildings on the square include the fountain with the statue of Saint Florian from 1728 and Column of the Holy Trinity, built in 1750–1760.