Rokytno

Rokytno is a municipality and village in Pardubice District in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,000 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Bohumileč and Drahoš are administrative parts of Rokytno.

Etymology
The name is derived from rokytí. It is an old Czech term for willows which grew here in swampy areas.

Geography
Rokytno is located about 10 km northeast of Pardubice. It lies in the East Elbe Table, in the Polabí region. The Bohumilečský pond is situated west of the village.

The Přesypy u Rokytna Nature Reserve is a unique area of sand dunes overgrown with pine forest. With an area of 7 ha, it is considered to be the largest Czech desert.

History
The first written mention of Rokytno is from 1436. During the 18th century, the village, together with Chvojenec and Býšť, was the centre of persecuted religious sect of Deists called blouznivci. During the industrialization at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, two brickyards were built here.

The village of Drahoš was founded in 1782. It was settled by German-speaking farmers from the Province of Silesia.

Transport
The D35 motorway runs through the municipality.

Sights
Rokytno is poor in monuments. The only protected cultural monument is a stone road bridge dating from 1834.