Žandov

Žandov (Sandau) is a town in Česká Lípa District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,900 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Dolní Police, Heřmanice, Novosedlo, Radeč, Valteřice and Velká Javorská are administrative parts of Žandov.

Etymology
The original German name Sandau is a common German name, derived from 'sand' (with the same meaning in both German and English). The Czech name was created by transcription of the German one.

Geography
Žandov is located about 10 km west of Česká Lípa and 25 km east of Ústí nad Labem. It lies in the Central Bohemian Uplands. The highest point is the hill Havraní vrch at 586 m above sea level. The Ploučnice River flows through the town. The entire municipal territory lies within the České středohoří Protected Landscape Area.

History
The first written mention of Žandov is from 1282. The longest and most important owners of Žandov were the Berka of Dubá family (before 1428) and the Wartenberg family (from 1428). In the middle of the 15th century, the village was promoted to a town. From 1938 to 1945, it was annexed to Nazi Germany and administered as a part of the Reichsgau Sudetenland. After World War II, Žandov lost its status of a town, but regained it in 1998.

Transport
Žandov is located on the railway line Liberec–Děčín.

Sights
The main landmark of Žandov is the Church of Saint Bartholomew. It is originally a Gothic church, rebuilt in 1540 and 1682. The current look is the result of the late Baroque modifications from 1775.

In the middle of the town square is a fountain from 1853 and a statue of Saint Sebastian from 1822.