On 1 June 1793, Teplice was struck by a devastating fire that destroyed nearly half of the town within a few hours. The fire broke out around 11 a.m. in the house of the tanner Josef Schöbitz on Market Square and spread rapidly. Its spread was aided not only by the weather but also by a nearby soap factory storing supplies of tallow.
Within less than two hours, 155 houses and 11 barns burned down. Thanks to the efforts of firefighters from the surrounding area, the remaining parts of the town were saved.
News of the catastrophe quickly spread across Europe, and financial donations for the reconstruction soon arrived – from royal courts and nobility who frequently visited Teplice for its spa, as well as from individuals and towns. Public collections were organised, and the town received a state loan.
Reconstruction focused primarily on spa buildings, which were ready to welcome guests again as early as the following year. New construction and urban planning transformed Teplice into a modern Classical spa town, whose appearance was shaped by this disaster with a surprisingly positive impact.
