Rokytnice nad Jizerou

Rokytnice nad Jizerou (Rochlitz an der Iser) is a town in Semily District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,500 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
Rokytnice nad Jizerou is made up of the town parts of Dolní Rokytnice and Horní Rokytnice, and the villages of Františkov, Hleďsebe, Hranice, Rokytno and Studenov.

Etymology
Rokytnice nad Jizerou was named after the stream Huťský potok, formerly called Rokytnice. The name Rokytnice refers to the old Czech word rokyta (meaning 'willow', a common tree in the area).

Geography
Rokytnice nad Jizerou is located about 27 km east of Liberec. It is a mountain resort town in the western part of the Giant Mountains. The municipal territory borders Poland. The town is located in elongated valleys of the stream Huťský potok, covering an area between the mountains massifs Stráž at 782 m above sea level and Lysá hora at 1344 m, and the left bank of the Jizera River. The highest peak in the municipal territory is Sokolník 1384 m, which is located on the border with Poland.

History
Rokytnice nad Jizerou was founded in 1574. The first inhabitants engaged in logging and metal mining (copper, lead and silver). The mining stopped paying off at the beginning of the 20th century and ceased. Other important economic activity was glassmaking.

Transport
The I/14 road from Liberec to Trutnov passes through the town.

Rokytnice nad Jizerou is the starting point of the railway line to Martinice v Krkonoších.

Sport
In winter, Rokytnice's two ski resorts in Studenov and at Mt. Lysá hora are among the most famous ski resorts in the Czech Republic. There are 10 lifts and 17 km of ski slopes, including one of the longest slopes in the country with a length of 2920 m.

Sights
The main landmark of the town is the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel, located in Dolní Rokytnice. It was built in the Baroque style in 1752–1759.

A notable building is the town hall, built in 1902–1903. It represents early modern architecture and has Art Nouveau elements in the interior.

Notable people

 * Karel Maydl (1853–1903), Austrian surgeon
 * Franz Fühmann (1922–1984), German writer
 * Milan Jarý (born 1952), cross-country skier
 * Leona Neumannová (born 1987), volleyball player