On the square in Chřibská in the district of Děčín lies house no. 22, the birthplace of Thaddäus Haenke (1761–1817). Haenke was a renowned traveller, naturalist, botanist, doctor and ethnographer. One can now visiting the Kavárna u Tadeáše (Thaddäus Café) on the ground floor of the building. The first floor houses the homeland Chřibská Museum, parts of whose exhibits are devoted to this prominent native.

Thaddäus Haenke became famous particularly for his voyages of discovery around the Pacific and South America. What is interesting is he was the first to discover and describe victoria regia, the largest species of water lily. The house in Chřibská is situated on the square, adjacent to the pseudo-Gothic town hall dating from 1872. A memorial plaque with a German inscription was placed on the building in in 1885. In 2000 the Thaddäus Haenke Association was established in Chřibská, devoting itself to nurturing the legacy of this renaissance figure.

Connected places: Thaddäus Haenke Monument in Malá SkálaPomník Tadeáše Haenkeho v Malé Skále

Keywords: botany; Birthplace; Thaddäus Haenke; Chřibská; voyages of discovery; victoria regia

Sdružení Tadeáše Haenkeho. URL: http://haenke.slamow.com/ [20. 12. 2018].
Skočdopolová, B.: Tadeáš Haenke (1761–1816), Živa č. 4, 2012, s. 76–77.
Rogozov, V.: Thaddaeus Haenke: Pozoruhodné osudy našeho krajana, Vesmír č. 10, 2003, s. 564–566.

Tadeáš Haenke`s family house is on the square in Chřibská. (Author: jam)

Detail of the memorial plaque on the family home. (Author: jam)

The family house stands near the pseudo-Gothic town hall. (Author: jam)

Engraving with the likeness of Tadeáš Haenke. (Author: public domain)

A “Greetings from Chřibská“ postcard from 1890. (Author: Museum in Děčín. Collections.)

Birthplace of Thaddäus Haenke in Chřibská