Božanov

Božanov (Barzdorf) is a municipality and village in Náchod District in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 400 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The hamlet of Studená Voda is an administrative part of Božanov.

Etymology
The name is derived from the personal name Božan. First, the local stream was named Božanův potok ("Božan's stream"), and the name of the stream was then transferred to the settlement.

Geography
Božanov is located about 19 km northeast of Náchod and 26 km south of the Polish city of Wałbrzych, on the border with Poland. It lies in the Broumov Highlands, in the Broumovsko Protected Landscape Area. The highest point is the Koruna hill at 769 m above sea level. The village of Božanov is situated in the valley of the stream Božanovský potok.

History
The first written mention of Božanov is from 1256. It belonged to the Broumov estate, owned by the Benedictines. The hamlet of Studená Voda was founded in 1784. Božanov was a prosperous agricultural village for centuries, but due to industrialization in the second half of the 19th century, there was a decrease in the population, who moved to the surrounding larger towns.

About 95% of the population was German-speaking in 1930. In 1938, Božanov was annexed by Nazi Germany and administered as part of Reichsgau Sudetenland. After World War II, the German-speaking population was expelled and the municipality was resettled by Czechs from inland.

Transport
There are no railways or major roads passing through the municipality. In the municipality is the pedestrian border crossing Studená Voda / Radków with Poland.

Sights
The main landmark of Božanov is the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene. It was built in the Baroque style in 1735–1740 according to the design by architect Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer. For its value it has been protected as a national cultural monument since 2022.