Lipník nad Bečvou

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Lipník nad Bečvou (Czech pronunciation: [ˈlɪpɲiːk ˈnad bɛtʃvou]; Template:Lang-de) is a small town located in the Olomouc Region, in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. The nearest larger towns are Přerov and Hranice, approximately ten to twelve kilometers (six to eight miles) distant.

Lipník lies on the north bank of the Bečva river, and the Oderské Vrchy mountain range rises a short distance to the north. The town lies in the vicinity of the castle Helfštýn, built to guard the Moravská Brána, the Moravian Gate, a depression between the Oderské Vrchy and the Western Carpathians allowing a low-lying route from the Polish plains. For several centuries, Lipnik was an important waypoint on the Amber Road which passes through the Moravian Gate.

Lipník is an ancient town with a large square (T.G. Masaryk Square) in the shape of the letter L and an interesting set of sights. It was a fortified town, and it still retains a large portion of its medieval walls and towers. There is a ring road that runs around the outside of the ancient walls, with the best view of the walls to be seen from Komenského sady. The town may be proud of the well-established historical centre with a Renaissance town hall, baroque fountains and Renaissance houses with arcades. A varying population of modern iron sculptures is displayed in the square and elsewhere around town reflecting the annual Hefaiston blacksmithing festival held at Helfštýn each August. Just next to the square, St. James´ Parish Church with its unique belltower offers a fine view of the square. The church itself is built in a Baroque style and is highly ornamented inside. In addition, there is a Renaissance palace with a walled garden in the rear, a Piarist monastery with the St.Francis´ Serafín church, where Gregor Mendel briefly studied, and a synagogue, the second oldest surviving in the Czech Republic. A large Jewish minority lived here; two unique cemeteries are the evidence of this.

The town has a station on the mainline railway from Prague to Ostrava, but is served mainly by local services. The town also lies on the Krakow-Moravia-Vienna Greenway, a long distance cycling route.