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Hřensko

Coordinates: 50°52′28″N 14°14′33″E / 50.87444°N 14.24250°E / 50.87444; 14.24250
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Hřensko
Confluence of the Elbe and Kamenice rivers
Confluence of the Elbe and Kamenice rivers
Flag of Hřensko
Coat of arms of Hřensko
Hřensko is located in Czech Republic
Hřensko
Hřensko
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 50°52′28″N 14°14′33″E / 50.87444°N 14.24250°E / 50.87444; 14.24250
Country Czech Republic
RegionÚstí nad Labem
DistrictDěčín
First mentioned1488
Area
 • Total19.86 km2 (7.67 sq mi)
Elevation
130 m (430 ft)
Population
 (2024-01-01)[1]
 • Total256
 • Density13/km2 (33/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
407 17
Websitewww.hrensko.cz

Hřensko (German: Herrnskretschen) is a municipality and village in Děčín District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 300 inhabitants. With an elevation of 130 metres (430 ft) above sea level, it is the lowest situated municipality in the country. Located on the edge of the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Hřensko is known for many natural monuments, especially for the Kamenice Gorge and Pravčická brána.

Administrative parts[edit]

The village of Mezná is an administrative part of Hřensko.

Etymology[edit]

Before the establishment of the village, there was a pub under the Hornichen mountain called Horniss Kraczmer. The possessive adjective gradually distorted (Hörniß-, Herniß-, Herns-) and was then adopted into Czech as Hřen- with the suffix of place names -sko.[2]

Geography[edit]

View of Hřensko in the Elbe valley

Hřensko is located about 11 kilometres (7 mi) north of Děčín and 27 km (17 mi) northeast of Ústí nad Labem. It lies on the border with Germany and is adjacent to Bad Schandau and Schöna. It lies in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. Most of the municipality lies in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. The highest point of the municipality is Oltářní kámen at 469 m (1,539 ft) above the sea.

Hřensko is situated at the confluence of the Kamenice and Elbe rivers, in the Elbe valley. In the municipal territory is located the lowest point of the Czech Republic, which is the Elbe on the border with Germany at 115 m (377 ft) above sea level.

History[edit]

Hřensko was established during the 15th century as a trading settlement.[3]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
18691,060—    
18801,108+4.5%
18901,088−1.8%
19001,132+4.0%
19101,117−1.3%
YearPop.±%
1921914−18.2%
1930904−1.1%
1950311−65.6%
1961266−14.5%
1970270+1.5%
YearPop.±%
1980285+5.6%
1991199−30.2%
2001247+24.1%
2011266+7.7%
2021224−15.8%
Source: Censuses[4][5]

Transport[edit]

Ferry and the river border crossing on the Elbe

The I/62 road from Ústí nad Labem to the Czech-German border passes through the municipality. There are two border crossings in Hřensko: the Hřensko / Schmilka road border crossing and the Hřensko / Schöna river border crossing.

Sights[edit]

The municipality is a portal to the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. The main attractions in the municipal territory are the Kamenice Gorge and Pravčická brána, the largest natural stone bridge in Europe.[6] They are among the most visited nature tourist destinations in the entire country.[7]

The main cultural landmark of Hřensko is the Church of Saint John of Nepomuk. It was built in the late Baroque style in 1786–1787.[8]

In popular culture[edit]

Pravčická brána was featured in the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.[9]

Notable people[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024". Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
  2. ^ Profous, Antonín (1947). Místní jména v Čechách I: A–H (in Czech). pp. 771–772.
  3. ^ "Historie obce" (in Czech). Obec Hřensko. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  4. ^ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011 – Okres Děčín" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 2015-12-21. pp. 5–6.
  5. ^ "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 2021-03-27.
  6. ^ "O Hřensku" (in Czech). Obec Hřensko. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  7. ^ "Turisté mají v České republice nejraději zoologické zahrady, technické památky, koupání a Pražský hrad" (in Czech). CzechTourism. 2022-06-24. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  8. ^ "Kostel sv. Jana Nepomuckého" (in Czech). National Heritage Institute. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  9. ^ "Sedm míst, která znáte z filmů. Vydejte se na výlet" (in Czech). iDNES.cz. 2014-06-30. Retrieved 2022-05-26.

External links[edit]