Kamenický Šenov

Kamenický Šenov (Steinschönau) is a town in Česká Lípa District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,800 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.

Administrative parts
The village of Prácheň is an administrative part of Kamenický Šenov.

Geography
Kamenický Šenov is located about 10 km north of Česká Lípa and 40 km west of Liberec. It lies in the Central Bohemian Uplands. The highest point is the hill Česká skála at 629 m above sea level. The brook Šenovský potok originates in the municipal territory and flows through the town proper.

History
The first written mention of Kamenický Šenov is from 1352, as a village called Sonov founded by immigrant Sorbs. The village belonged to the Česká Kamenice estate, therefore it began to be called Kamenický Šenov.

In the 17th century, the local glassmakers are first mentioned, and during the 17th and 18th centuries there was a massive boom in glass refining and in glass trade. The glass industry significantly contributed to the rapid growth of Kamenický Šenov and the inhabitants began to get rich.

Economy
The town has a long history of glass works. It is also known for the manufacture of chandeliers, operated by the Preciosa company.

Transport
The I/13 road (part of the European route E442), which connects Liberec with Ústí nad Labem, passes through the town.

Kamenický Šenov is connected with Česká Kamenice by a short railway line. Historic trains run on it. It is only in operation during the summer tourist season and on weekends in some months out of season.

Education
The Secondary Glassmaking School in Kamenický Šenov was founded in 1856 and is the oldest vocational school of its kind in the world.

Sights
The history of glass making in the town is presented in Glass Museum Kamenický Šenov. It is located in a historic house, built around 1770.

The main landmark of the town centre is the Church of the Birth of Saint John the Baptist. It is a Baroque building, built in 1715–1718.

Panská skála is a national nature monument and a symbol of the town. It is a basalt rock, locally known as the "stone organ pipes".

Notable people

 * Ignaz Pallme (1806–1877), German explorer
 * Franz Bischoff (1864–1929), American artist

Twin towns – sister cities
Kamenický Šenov is twinned with:
 * 🇩🇪 Rheinbach, Germany