First references
The first references to Větruše are found in Hájek’s Chronicles. Legend has it that the nobleman Labohoř had a castle built to fend off enemies in the year 826 and named it in honour of his wife - Wittrusch or Vitruš. The castle was later to burn to the ground.
The legend
Another reference to the place comes in the form of a legend surrounding the destruction of the castle. A certain machine operator put together a machine that was able to throw stones over great distances. The people of Ústí dedicated this machine to the emperor, who in turn had it placed at Větruše. The owner of the castle, however, whiled away the time by launching carcasses and rubbish at the town. One day, when the lady of the castle was giving birth to a child and her lord was in Prague, the men gained access to the castle dressed as women, killed everyone alive and set light to the castle. The castle gradually fell into ruin and eventually disappeared.
The 19th century
It was in 1839 that local resident Johann Thomas, looking for a source for a well, accidentally came across the mighty foundation walls of a castle, the remains of bones and certain everyday items. He prepared and presented to the local council a building plan to beautify the hill known as Soudný vrch, with its view over the valley of the River Elbe, and build a restaurant for daytrippers. The idea was basically to build a complex for rest and entertainment. It was at that time that the place was renamed Ferdinandova výšina (Ferdinand’s Heights).
Construction work on the restaurant here came to an end in 1847.
Then, in 1895, the building known as Větruše was bought by the Bohemian Uplands Society. The building was thus to be used for the purposes of the society itself and of tourists and the public in general.
However, the main wish expressed by the local population was actually to build a new restaurant. A tender was announced for the architectural design and was won by builder Alwin Köhler. The foundation stone to the building was laid in 1896 and the work completed one year later. A hall dominated the lower floor. The vaulting of the restaurant room was held aloft by columns and the Rustic Old German Room was apparently particularly cosy. The first staircase joined the hall with the lobby and octagonal, wooden alcoves on both sides, the towers of which adorned the building as a whole. The rooms on the uppermost floor were used as accommodation for tourists. There was also a viewing tower on the northern face of the building. Větruše became the centre of social and club life for the population at that time. The surroundings of the restaurant boasted a park with benches, a skittle alley, tennis courts and a small menagerie. Folk celebrations and promenade concerts were held here.
The 20th century
The hill was again renamed Větruše after 1945 and the building again became a restaurant. Shortly after the War the building was confiscated on the basis of the Beneš Decrees (108/45) and brought under national administration.
It was then transferred to the Czechoslovak District Sokol Gymnastic Association in Prague in 1950,
before passing to the State Committee for Physical Education and Sport in 1953.
Větruše was administered by Turista Praha from 1954 and Restaurace Ústí nad Labem from 1958. A rear wing was added and used as accommodation for foreign labourers.
However, the entire complex was closed in the mid 1980s due to its poor condition.
Větruše was then sold for 8.75 million crowns as part of privatisation measures in 1992.
The 21st century
A fire broke out at Větruše on 13th July 2000, destroying the roof of the viewing tower.
The City of Ústí nad Labem bought Větruše for 2.01 million crowns in 2001 with the aim of restoring the building and creating a place for daytrippers here.
The first building work at Větruše got underway in the middle of 2002. Proposals for the restoration of Větruše were created by a group of nine German students at the Faculty of Urbanism and Town Construction of the University of Stuttgart.
The viewing tower was then opened to its first visitors in September 2004.
Not counting a short opening period two years earlier, the viewing tower had been opened to visitors for the first time in 30 years.
Then in March 2005 workers found a lead box containing city documents dating back to 1890 to 1900. The box contained documents, photographs and coins. The skeleton of an unknown woman was then uncovered during excavation work a few days later.
The restaurant opened its doors in December 2005, the operator Drinks Union, a.s.
The city has thus far invested some 130 million crowns in restoring the complex.
City Services (Městské služby) became administrator of Větruše and the adjacent complex.
The Větruše restoration project also involves the addition of a hotel section to serve the accommodation needs of visitors.
Source: Větruše Ústí nad Labem, published by the City of Ústí nad Labem in 2005
