Velký Šenov

For the nearby village in Germany, see Großschönau, Saxony.

Velký Šenov (German: Groß Schönau) is a town in Děčín District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,000 inhabitants.

Velký Šenov
Municipality
Church of Saint Bartholomew
Flag Coat of arms
Velký Šenov Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 50°59′27″N 14°22′28″E
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Ústí nad Labem
District	Děčín
First mentioned	1404
Government
• Mayor	Dušan Víta
Area
• Total	19.82 km2 (7.65 sq mi)
Elevation	357 m (1,171 ft)
Population  (2025-01-01)[1]
• Total	2,013
• Density	100/km2 (260/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	407 78
Website	www.velkysenov.cz

Administrative division

Velký Šenov consists of six municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):^[2]

• Velký Šenov (1,308)
• Janovka (19)
• Knížecí (15)
• Leopoldka (461)
• Malý Šenov (67)
• Staré Hraběcí (19)

Geography

Velký Šenov is located about 26 kilometres (16 mi) northeast of Děčín. It is located in the salient region of Šluknov Hook on the border with Germany. It lies in the Lusatian Highlands. The highest point is the Hrazený mountain at 610 m (2,000 ft) above sea level. The Sebnitz River (here called Vilémovský potok) originates in the woods in the southeastern part of the municipal territory and flows through the town proper.

History

The first written mention of Šenov is from 1404. There was a fortress, but it was destroyed during the Hussite Wars in 1430 and was never restored. In addition to agriculture, the main source of livelihood was weaving and linen. At the beginning of the 19th century, the production of ribbons developed in the village. In 1827, a button factory started operating, but at the end of the 19th century the production moved to Lipová.^[3]

The importance and number of inhabitants of the village grew and it was therefore promoted to a town in 1907. In 1914, the town was renamed Velký Šenov ("Great Šenov").^[3]

From 1938 to 1945, Velký Šenov was annexed by Nazi Germany and administered as a part of the Reichsgau Sudetenland.

Demographics

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1869 4,015 —     1880 4,193 +4.4% 1890 4,297 +2.5% 1900 4,463 +3.9% 1910 5,024 +12.6%	Year Pop. ±% 1921 4,326 −13.9% 1930 4,635 +7.1% 1950 2,672 −42.4% 1961 2,586 −3.2% 1970 2,462 −4.8%	Year Pop. ±% 1980 2,338 −5.0% 1991 1,943 −16.9% 2001 2,014 +3.7% 2011 1,932 −4.1% 2021 1,889 −2.2%
Source: Censuses[4][5]

Transport

Velký Šenov is located on the local railway line Děčín–Rumburk via Germany. The town is served by three stops.^[6]

Sights

The main landmark of the town is the Church of Saint Bartholomew. It is one of the oldest preserved churches in the area. The original medieval church was replaced by the current Renaissance building in the second half of the 16th century, and was modified in the 1780s.^[7]

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Czech Republic

Velký Šenov is twinned with:^[8]

• Lwówek Śląski, Poland