F-421 Děčín

The first written mention of Děčín dates from 993. The Přemyslid fortress was replaced with a stone castle, under which Přemysl Otakar II established the royal town. Rapid development occurred in the 16th century as remote trade with other European states developed via Hamburg. The 30 Years War and a number of fires transformed the flourishing town into a small township, which once again began to flourish up to the end of the 18th century. The construction of the railway (1851) and the commencement of regular steamship sailings along the Elbe saw Děčín become a significant hub and industrial centre for more than just the immediate region.