Stružnice

Stružnice (Straußnitz) is a municipality and village in Česká Lípa District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,000 inhabitants.

Administrative parts
The villages of Bořetín, Jezvé and Stráž u České Lípy are administrative parts of Stružnice.

Etymology
The name is derived from the Czech word strouha, i.e. 'brook'. It denoted a village located along a brook.

Geography
Stružnice is located about 6 km west of Česká Lípa and 41 km west of Liberec. It lies on the border between the Central Bohemian Uplands and Ralsko Uplands. The highest point is at 555 m above sea level. The Ploučnice River flows through the municipality. Most of the municipal territory lies within the České středohoří Protected Landscape Area.

History
The first written mention of Stružnice is from 1281, when it belonged to Záviš of Stružnice. His family, later known as Lords of Klinštejn, owned Stružnice until 1403, when they sold it to the Berka of Dubá family. Then the owners often changed. In 1629, Stružnice was bought by Vilém Wratislaw of Mitrovice, Grand Prior of Knights Hospitaller. He annexed it to the Horní Libchava estate and tried to transfer the property to the Wratislaw of Mitrovice family, but it remained in the possession of the Knights Hospitaller order until the first half of the 20th century.

Transport
Stružnice is located on the railway line Liberec–Děčín.

Sights
The most important monument is the Church of Saint Lawrence, located in Jezvé. It was built in the Baroque style in 1746–1756 on the site of and old medieval church. It was reconstructed after a fire in 1798.