BIKING AND SKATING

Did you know? The Elbe cycle route is the most traveled bike trail in the country. It runs the whole length of the river, from its headwaters all the way to the North Sea. The section in the Czech Republic measures 370 km. One of the most beautiful stretches on the trail is the Elbe canyon north of Decin. The massive sandstone bluffs lining the Elbe River corridor make a magnificent backdrop. The trail runs right through the heart of Decin, so there are plenty of cafés along the way. As you peddle along, you can watch the climbers on the via ferrata and take in the boats plying the river. Decin Castle is a perfect place for a stop. Located directly above the bike trail it is one of the region's major landmarks. As the trail nears the German border, it enters Bohemian Switzerland National Park, where it is definitely worth taking a break for a side trip up to Pravcicka brana, the largest natural sandstone bridge on the continent. More information...

THE WATER PARK

Did you know? Decin's swimming complex is a modern recreational facility with a natural thermal water source. It has both indoor and outdoor areas. The pool's thermal water source makes swimming outdoors possible year round. More infromation...

THE SYNAGOGUE

Did you know? Plans for the construction of the synagogue in Decin materialized at the end of the 19th century with a fundraising campaign. The synagogue was built in 1907 in a faux oriental Beaux Arts style on the site of an athletics hall in what is now Zizkova ulice. It was dedicated the same year by Rabbi Max Freund. The destruction of the synagogue in 1939 was prevented at the last moment by the mayor of Podmokly. In 1941 the building was occupied by the Nazis, who painted a map of England on its floor. After World War II the building was not used again until it was made an archive in 1966. More information...

VIA FERRATA

Did you know? Decin is the first Bohemian city with a via ferrata in the heart of town. There are several anchored climbing trails with steel cables and footholds on the cliff face. They climb 90 meters and range from 150 to 170 meters in length. More information...

THE SYNAGOGUE

The synagogue stands on the road from Decin's Podmokly neighborhood up to Shepherd's Bluff.

It escaped the fate that befell so many synagogues in Bohemia, particularly in the Sudeten area. It is said that Anton Kreissl (died Rabstejn 30 June 1945), then mayor of Podmokly, personally intervened to prevent the building being set on fire during the Kristallnacht riots, arguing that neighboring houses might be damaged. His deputy, Julius Stumpf (1939-1942) also came under continual pressure to demolish the building. Whatever his motivations may have been, he did not do so. At one point he argued that there was not sufficient manpower for the job, later that the building could serve other uses. During the occupation the synagogue, stripped of religious symbols, served as a Wehrmacht warehouse, from 1941 as a Hitler Youth center, and then again as a military warehouse.

 

synagoga decin

The Jewish community regained the synagogue in 1994, a gift from the District National Committee. The building was in terrible condition. Over the years practically all of the interior fittings had disappeared, including the most important - the Torah. Only bare walls remained. On 18 April 1996 the synagogue was added to the national register of cultural landmarks. The Jewish community in Decin and its supporters completely renovated the building. Its dignity and beauty restored, it is once again an important social and cultural center in the city.

Visit zidovskaobecdecin.wz.cz

Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (entry for exhibits and tours is free of charge unless otherwise specified)

Where is it? Zidovska obec Decin, Zizkova 4, Decin IV