Lomnice nad Popelkou

Lomnice nad Popelkou (Lomnitz an der Popelka) is a town in Semily District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 5,600 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone; the local town part of Karlov is protected as a village monument reservation.

Administrative parts
The villages and hamlets of Černá, Chlum, Dráčov, Košov, Morcinov, Nové Dvory, Ploužnice, Rváčov, Skuhrov, Tikov and Želechy are administrative parts of Lomnice nad Popelkou.

Etymology
The name of the town is derived from the local stream, which used to be called Lomnice. The word Lomnice was then derived from lomný, which could mean "noisy" or "crooked".

Geography
Lomnice nad Popelkou is located about 33 km southeast of Liberec. It lies on the border between the Giant Mountains Foothills and Ještěd–Kozákov Ridge. The highest point is the mountain Tábor at 678 m above sea level. The town is situated on the Popelka Stream. The Cidlina River originates in the southern part of the municipal territory.

History
The first written mention of Lomnice nad Popelkou written between 1308 and 1314 is in Chronicle of Dalimil, where there is written about the origin of the town's coat of arms in 1242. Due to the harsh climatic conditions, Lomnice area was colonized at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries. The first documented owner was Albrecht of Waldstein in 1308. The Waldstein family owned Lomnice until the end of the 14th century. In that time Lomnice was already referred to as a town and was acquired by Knights of Košík.

After the Hussite Wars, Lomnice often changed owners, which lasted until 1524. From 1524 to 1654, the town was owned again by the Waldstein family and experienced a time of greatest prosperity and development. The development stopped because of the Thirty Years' War. In 1654, Lomnice was bought by Counts of Morzin. They owned the estate until 1796. In 1796–1834, the town was a property of Ignác Falge, a rich merchant. The last aristocratic owners of the estate were Counts of Rohan.

Economy
The largest employer based in the town is Samohýl group a.s., engaged in the wholesale and distribution of veterinary drugs and products, and pet food and pet accessories.

Transport
Lomnice nad Popelkou is the starting point of the railway lines to Městec Králové and Stará Paka.

Sport
The town has a notable ski club LSK Lomnice nad Popelkou, represented by ski jumpers such as Roman Koudelka or Čestmír Kožíšek. The club was founded in 1925.

Sights
The most valuable part of the town is Karlov, formed by Karlovské Square and its closest surroundings. It was founded in 1739–1740 by Karl Joseph Morzin and named by its founder. Karlov later urbanistically merged with the Lomnice nad Popelkou. Since 1995, it has been declared a village monument reservation. It is known for its preserved half-timbered houses, a typical example of local vernacular architecture.

The historic town centre is formed by Husovo Square. It main landmark is the town hall from 1864, after the previous town hall burned down. It has a neo-Gothic façade. Town Museum and Gallery was founded in 1891 and since 1945 is located in the Hrubý House, the only Neoclassical building in the town built in the 1820s.

Lomnice nad Popelkou Castle in the northern part of Husovo Square was created by rebuilding an old Gothic keep in 1566–1567 into the Renaissance castle, and then in 1730–1737 into its current Baroque form. Today it serves for cultural and social purposes and as the seat of the library.

Other sights on the square are two neo-Renaissance fountains from the second half of the 19th century, monument of Jan Hus from the 1890s, Baroque Marian column from 1713, and Baroque Church of Saint Nicholas from 1781.

Notable people

 * František Jiránek (1698–1778), composer, pupil of Antonio Vivaldi
 * František Doubravský (1790–1867), choirmaster, organist and composer
 * Karel Kodejška (born 1947), ski jumper
 * Vladimír Martinec (born 1949), ice hockey player
 * Ivan Ženatý (born 1962), violinist