Smržovka (german: Morchenstern) is a town in Jablonec nad Nisou District in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,800 inhabitants.

Etymology

The name Smržovka was given to town by overgrown mountain forest, where there was a large amount of

morels ''Morchella'', the true morels, is a genus of edible sac fungi closely related to anatomically simpler cup fungi in the order Pezizales (division Ascomycota). These distinctive fungi have a honeycomb appearance due to the network of ridges with ...

( cs, smrž, german: Morcheln).

Geography

Smržovka is located about east of Jablonec nad Nisou. It lies in the Jizera Mountains. The highest point is the mountain Černá studnice at above sea level. The Kamenice River flows along the northeastern municipal border.

History

Smržovka was founded in the first half of the 16th century during the colonization of the Jizera Mountains, the first written mention of the village is from 1568. In the 19th century, glassmaking developed in the town, which helped the rapid growth of the town. In 1868, Smržovka was promoted to a market town, and in 1905, it became a town. Smržovka was part of the Jablonec nad Nisou District, one of the 94 districts in Kingdom of Bohemia. With the development of industry in and around Smržovka, it develops mainly glassworks, grinding shops and weaving and Smržovka in 1849 became the market place. In 1905 Smržovka was promoted to town. During the

German occupation of Czechoslovakia German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

in February and March 1945, the Germans operated a subcamp of the

Gross-Rosen concentration camp , known for = , location = , built by = , operated by = , commandant = , original use = , construction = , in operation = Summer of 1940 – 14 February 1945 , gas cham ...

, whose prisoners were 300 women.

Demographics

Economy

In 1991, the Kaipan company, a Czech car manufacturer with a focus on sports roadsters, was founded here.

Transport

Koleje Dolnośląskie Koleje Dolnośląskie (Polish for ''Lower Silesian Railways''; KD) is a regional rail operator in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship of Poland. The company was founded on 28 December 2007 by a decision of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Sejmik and i ...

D21 line runs from

Liberec Liberec (; german: Reichenberg ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 103,000 inhabitants and it is the fifth-largest city in the country. It lies on the Lusatian Neisse, in a basin surrounded by mountains. The city centre is well preser ...

to Szklarska Poręba via the town.

Sights

The landmark of the town is the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel. It was built in the Baroque style in 1767–1781. On Černá studnice mountain there is an eponymous observation tower. It is a high stone tower, built in 1885–1886. It belongs to the highest stone observation towers in the Jizera Mountains.

Twin towns – sister cities

Smržovka is twinned with: * Rammenau, Germany *

Weidenberg Weidenberg is a municipality in the district of Bayreuth in Bavaria in Germany. The Ölschnitz river discharges near Weidenberg-Neunkirchen into the Red Main. Nearby is the site of a medieval castle, known as Burgstall Schlosshügel The Burgst ...

, Germany

Partner towns

Smržovka also cooperates with: *

Juchnowiec Kościelny Juchnowiec Kościelny is a village in Białystok County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina (administrative district) called Gmina Juchnowiec Kościelny. It lies approximately south of the regional capita ...

, Poland * Plouhinec, France *

Unsere Liebe Frau im Walde-St. Felix Unsere Liebe Frau im Walde-St. Felix (; it, Senale-San Felice ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in South Tyrol in northern Italy, located about west of the city of Bolzano. Geography As of November 30, 2010, it had a population of 775 and an area ...

, Italy

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Smrzovka Cities and towns in the Czech Republic Populated places in Jablonec nad Nisou District 16th-century establishments in Bohemia Populated places established in the 16th century