Ústí nad Orlicí is a district town in the Podorlicko region located in a picturesque valley at the confluence of the Tichá Orlice and Třebovka rivers. The town is situated at the altitude of 350 metres above the sea level and at the distance of 150 kilometres to the east from Prague. Today, there live 15,000 inhabitants. The very beginnings of the town existence fall into the second half of the 13th century when - under the reign of Přemysl Otakar II - the ancient Slavic settlement called Oustí began to grow larger. Its beautiful historical centre with an almost regular-shaped square surrounded by arcades and typically old houses has had the status of the listed urban area since 1991.
The vast majority of the population used to live on agriculture and domestic weaving crafts. The expansion of the textile industry and the engineering production came in the middle of the 19th century in relation with construction of the railway from Olomouc to Prague. These factors influenced life of the town so much that the town became to be called the East Bohemian Manchester.
The town of Ústí nad Orlicí has also an important cultural tradition brought by great musical personalities. Among all of them, we can name Jaroslav Kocian (a violin virtuoso) and Bohuš Heran (a violoncellist) whose legacy is annually during the international music competitions. The town has one of the oldest choirs in Central Europe, Cecil’s Music Association. Other significant traditions include painting and building of Christmas cribs whose origins could be found far back in the 18th century.
In Ústí nad Orlicí, there are large sports grounds with a football and athletic stadium fitted with artificial turf as well as volleyball, basketball and tennis courts. The complex includes an aqua park built in 2000. The town also has an indoor swimming pool, a double-lane skittle hall, an ice rink, and a bowling centre. You can also find a camp site and a boating centre in Cakle near the town centre.
The town of Ústí nad Orlicí is considered a crossroad of new cycle paths built between 2007 and 2009. Along the 40 km long and unique cycle paths, you enjoy special experiences and many sport activities. The cycle paths designed for cycling and in-line skating lead through the beautiful valley of the Tichá Orlice and Třebovka rivers to the towns of Choceň, Letohrad and Česká Třebová.
Similarly, there is also a wide range of recreation possibilities nearby. You can visit the ruins of the Lanšperk, Žampach, Potštejn or Litice nad Orlicí castles, or you can also take a shorter route along the Calvary chapels leading to the Andrlův chlum hill.
The town of Ústí nad Orlicí maintains partner relations with five European towns. The longest partnership has been held with Slovak town of Poprad. The mutual partnership and the exchange of knowledge take place also with Polish Bystrzyca Kłodzka or German Amberg and Neukölln. Italian Massa Martana is the fifth partner town.