Úštěk

Sister cities

• Hainichen

History

According to archaeological excavations, the area of Úštěk was inhabited from the 10th century. The importance of Úštěk has increased in the 14th century, during the rule of the Lords of Michalovice. Around 1361, the settlement was promoted to a town. In 1387, the Lords of Michalovice were forced to sell Úštěk to the Berka of Dubá family due to debts. They ruled the town until 1426, when it was bought by Václav Carda of Petrovice. He had fortified the town. In 1475, the town was acquired by marriage by the noble family of Sezima of Ústí. Under their rule, Úštěk prospered and grew rapidly, which lasted until the Battle of White Mountain in 1620. In 1622, the Úštěk estate was confiscated and divided into two parts, which fell to Prague and Litoměřice Jesuits. The Jesuits in Úštěk supported the development of crafts and agriculture, especially hop growing. A lerga fire destroyed most of the town square in 1765. The Jesuits owned Úštěk until the abolishment of their order in 1773. Afterwards, the estate's assets were managed by various funds and gradually sold off. From 1838 until the establishment of an independent municipality in 1849, Úštěk was part of the Liběšice estate, owned by the Lobkowicz family.

Geography

Úštěk is located about northeast of Litoměřice and southeast of Ústí nad Labem. The municipal territory lies mostly in the Ralsko Uplands, but it also extends into the Central Bohemian Uplands in the north, where is located the highest point of Úštěk, the hill Pohorský vrch at above sea level. The town is situated on the stream Úštěcký potok and on the shore of the fishpond Chmelař. The streams Loubní potok and Červený potok also flow through the town before they join the Úštěcký potok.

Most-observed species

• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,316
• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,271
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,226
• Eurasian Blue Tit

  Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,146
• Gray/Purple Heron

  Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,108
• Mute Swan

  Cygnus olor (J.F.Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  989
• Great Spotted Woodpecker

  Dendrocopos major (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  970
• Common Buzzard

  Buteo buteo (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  959

Most recent

• M 3.1 — 2008-08-13
  4 km NE of Kodersdorf, Germany
• M 3.1 — 2004-11-15
  5 km ENE of Kada?, Czechia
• M 2.7 — 2004-08-13
  3 km SSW of Karpacz, Poland