Šluknov Hook
Encyclopedia
The Šluknov Hook or Šluknov Projection is a "panhandle
Panhandle
A panhandle is an informal geographic term for an elongated arm-like protrusion of a geo-political entity, such as a subnational entity or a sovereign state.-Term:...

" region found in the northern Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

 along the border with Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. The area is part of the southern Lusatian Highlands, between the Elbe Sandstone Mountains
Elbe Sandstone Mountains
The Elbe Sandstone Mountains, also called the Elbe sandstone highlands is a mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the North Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, with about three-quarters of the area lying on the German side...

 in the west and the Lusatian Mountains
Lusatian Mountains
The Lusatian Mountains are a mountain range of the Western Sudetes, located on the southeastern border of Germany with the Czech Republic east of the Elbe river, a continuation of the Ore Mountains range west of the Elbe valley...

 in the east. It is administratively included in the northeastern Děčín District
Decín District
Děčín District is one of seven districts located within the Ústí nad Labem Region in the Czech Republic...

. The largest towns in the region are Varnsdorf
Varnsdorf
Varnsdorf is a town in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic, with a population of around 16,000. The town is close to the border with Germany, with border crossings to the Saxon towns of Seifhennersdorf and Großschönau, and is the second largest in the Děčín District.The village of...

, Rumburk
Rumburk
Rumburk is a town in the Ústí nad Labem Region in the north of the Czech Republic. It has about 11,000 inhabitants and is famous because of its reportedly beautiful historical inner cities with many historical sights such as the old monastery...

, and Šluknov
Šluknov
Šluknov is the northernmost town of the Czech Republic in its Ústí nad Labem Region . It lies in the geographic region that shares its name, the Šluknov Hook , a small portion of Bohemia which lies between Saxon Switzerland and the Zittau Hills . The district of Rožany has a border crossing to...

, after which it is named.

Tourism

The territory has traditionally been marked by Roman Catholicism
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 and its textile industry
Textile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the production of yarn, and cloth and the subsequent design or manufacture of clothing and their distribution. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry....

. It has numerous Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...

 churches and corresponding cemeteries, as well as many chapels, cloisters, and places of pilgrimage. Many were built on the mountains of the region, while the great Baroque churches are found in each larger town.

Most medieval castles in the area have been destroyed or have fallen into disrepair. Impressive ruins are found in the old town center of Šluknov
Šluknov
Šluknov is the northernmost town of the Czech Republic in its Ústí nad Labem Region . It lies in the geographic region that shares its name, the Šluknov Hook , a small portion of Bohemia which lies between Saxon Switzerland and the Zittau Hills . The district of Rožany has a border crossing to...

 and in nearby Lipová u Šluknova; they are awaiting further reconstruction and restoration. The wooden houses of the region, already restored for the most part, are also popular with tourists. The local infrastructure is well-constructed in order to accommodate tourists from nearby Germany.

The region is connected with the Bohemian Switzerland; the national park center is located in Krásná Lípa
Krásná Lípa
Krásná Lípa is a town in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic. It has c. 3,500 inhabitants.- History :In 1361, a settlement was recorded on the Tollenstein . Later, about 30 families from Upper Franconia colonized the place. In 1654 the community had 36 farm houses and 60 craftsman...

. To the east is the entrance to the Zittau Mountains with its bizarre rock formations and known spas.
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