Rokytnice nad Jizerou

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

Rokytnice nad Jizerou
Town
Town hall
Flag Coat of arms
Rokytnice nad Jizerou Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 50°43′48″N 15°27′0″E
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Liberec
District	Semily
Founded	1574
Government
• Mayor	Petr Matyáš
Area
• Total	36.94 km2 (14.26 sq mi)
Elevation	520 m (1,710 ft)
Population  (2025-01-01)[1]
• Total	2,478
• Density	67/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal codes	512 44, 512 45
Website	www.rokytnice.com

Administrative division

Rokytnice nad Jizerou consists of seven municipal parts (in brackets population according to the 2021 census):^[2]

• Dolní Rokytnice (874)
• Horní Rokytnice (1,454)
• Františkov (58)
• Hleďsebe (0)
• Hranice (11)
• Rokytno (73)
• Studenov (12)

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).^[3]

Geography

The town with the Lysá hora Mountain

Rokytnice nad Jizerou is located about 27 kilometres (17 mi) 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 (2,566 ft) above sea level and Lysá hora at 1,344 m (4,409 ft), and the left bank of the Jizera River. The highest peak in the municipal territory is Sokolník at 1,384 m (4,541 ft), which is located on the border with Poland. The Mumlava River crosses the northen part of the municipal territory.

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.^[3]

Demographics

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1869 8,097 —     1880 7,611 −6.0% 1890 7,391 −2.9% 1900 6,949 −6.0% 1910 6,480 −6.7%	Year Pop. ±% 1921 5,227 −19.3% 1930 5,046 −3.5% 1950 3,385 −32.9% 1961 3,200 −5.5% 1970 3,307 +3.3%	Year Pop. ±% 1980 3,505 +6.0% 1991 3,469 −1.0% 2001 3,388 −2.3% 2011 2,877 −15.1% 2021 2,482 −13.7%
Source: Censuses[4][5]

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.^[6]

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 (11 mi) of ski slopes, including one of the longest slopes in the country with a length of 2,920 m (9,580 ft).^[7]

Sights

Church of Saint Michael the Archangel

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.^[8]

A notable building is the town hall, built in 1902–1903. It represents early modern architecture and has Art Nouveau elements in the interior.^[9]

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