Jílové

Jílové (until 1945 Jílové u Podmokel; Eulau) is a town in Děčín District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 5,000 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Kamenec, Kamenná, Martiněves, Modrá and Sněžník are administrative parts of Jílové.

Etymology
The adjective jílové is derived from jíl, i.e. 'clay'. The name was probably transferred to the settlement from the local stream.

Geography
Jílové is located about 6 km west of Děčín and 10 km north of Ústí nad Labem. It lies in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and in the eponymous protected landscape area. The built-up area is situated in the valley of the stream Jílovský potok, a left tributary of the Elbe River. The town is located at the foot of the Děčínský Sněžník mountain, which is the highest peak of the municipal territory at 723 m above sea level.

History
Jílové was probably founded as a settlement on an ancient trade route from Bohemia to Lusatia. The nearby Lotarův vrch mountain may already had been the site of the 1126 Battle of Chlumec between Duke Soběslav I of Bohemia and King Lothair III of Germany, whose exact location is unknown. The first written mention of Jílové (under the name Eulow) is from 1384 in a deed issued by King Charles IV.

A local water castle, erected in the 14th century, was documented in 1554, when it was held by the Lords of Lípa. After the 1620 Battle of White Mountain, the estates were seized by Emperor Ferdinand II and in 1629 granted to the Counts of Thun und Hohenstein.

After World War II, the German population was expelled and the Thun und Hohenstein properties were confiscated by the Czechoslovak Republic. Jílové was promoted to a town in 1964.

Transport
The I/13 road (the section from Teplice to Děčín) passes through the town.

During the tourist season, on weekends and holidays, a train on the Děčín–Telnice line runs through Jílové. The ČSD Class M 152.0 retro train drives there.

Sights
The main landmark is the Jílové Castle. It was rebuilt in the second half of the 17th century on a Renaissance chateau, and the romantic-style park with a Neoclassical pavilion was established two centuries later. Nowadays the castle serves cultural and social purposes and houses a library.

The Church of the Holy Trinity was built in the Baroque style in 1682. It was rebuilt to its present form in 1859, after it was damaged by a fire.

Děčínský Sněžník is known for its observation tower. It is a 33 m high stone tower. Built in 1864, it is one of the oldest observation towers in Bohemia. The chapel on Děčínský Sněžník was built in 1909.

Notable people

 * Anna Perthen (1866–1957), politician
 * Ernst Paul (1897–1978), German politician

Twin towns – sister cities
Jílové is twinned with:
 * 🇩🇪 Rosenthal-Bielatal, Germany