Velké Opatovice
Encyclopedia
Velké Opatovice is a small town in the Moravian
region of the Czech Republic
.
Velké Opatovice is situated in the district of Malá Haná, about 260 km southeast of Prague
and 120 km north of Vinna. The five nearest municipalities are Bezďečí, Brťov, Korbelova Lhota, Svárov, and Velká Roudka. The city of Boskovice
also stands nearby.
castle dates to 1757. It belonged to the Salm family, and passed to the Herbersteins in the late 18th century. The Herbersteins added the castle's neobaroque tower. The castle passed to municipal control after 1945, and it was damaged by a fire that destroyed one block in 1978. The castle now serves as the town museum, with a memorial hall devoted to academic sculptor Carl Otáhal who lived in Velké Opatovice for 30 years. In 2007, the burnt part of the building was replaced with an elliptical auditorium. The castles grounds include beautiful parkland containing plant and animal species and a statue of Bedřich Smetana
.
building. In the rockface below the sculptor Karel Otáhal inscribed relief texts by the poet Petr Bezruč
and the composer J.B. Foerst.
At nearby Velká Roudka is the Františkův spring, which produces drinkable water, and the remainder of an abandoned spa founded in 1839.
In Svárov, near this village, is a rock formation
called the "stone wedding." Local legend holds that the standing stone
s there are petrified guests from a wedding, cursed by the chef who was making the wedding dinner and was angry that they were late.
The village is close to the Moravian karst
area north of Brno, a limestone nature reserve
containing around 400 caves, several open for public exploration. The region's Punkva underground river
and 140 metre-deep Macocha abyss are also tourist attractions.
Nearby Castle Bouzov is a 14th century building largely reconstructed in the romantic style is often used for movie filming.
houses at least two hotels; the city of Boskovice has further entertainment venues. Public transport
is provided by buses. Also within the castle grounds is the town cinema, open on Fridays. A community centre in the centre of the town hosts balls, meetings, tourism events, and dances.
As well as the town museum located in the castle, Velké Opatovice has a gallery devoted to sculptor Karel Otáhal, the creator of a lifesize statue of Smetana located in the castle grounds. The gallery displays over 40 of his busts and many drawings.
A football field hosts matches every Sunday. The town's team holds an annual friendly football match against a team from Croatia, and a local factory has an annual friendly against a company from Germany and the Netherlands. Other facilities include tennis courts and the school sports hall, and women's aerobic classes are held at the community centre.
, a weekend-long programme of food, drink, and music. St George's Fair is celebrated on April 27, featuring fairground attractions, music at the community centre, family gatherings, and traditional dress.
in nearby Březinka employs more than 1,000 people and is headquartered in Germany. Many other residents are self-employed or work in small businesses including the local butchers, florists, sweetshop, and construction company.
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
region of the 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....
.
Velké Opatovice is situated in the district of Malá Haná, about 260 km southeast of Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and 120 km north of Vinna. The five nearest municipalities are Bezďečí, Brťov, Korbelova Lhota, Svárov, and Velká Roudka. The city of Boskovice
Boskovice
Boskovice is a town in the Czech Republic.-Location:The town is situated in the Drahanská Highlands, about 30–40 km to the north of Brno, the most important city of Moravia.-History:...
also stands nearby.
History
The first evidence of the settlement dates to 1308, when a contract shows the purchase of a town called Opatovice by the nearby Cimburk castle, today a ruin. The 'Velké' part of the name (meaning "great") was added in 1888, and the town became a city in 1969. The most significant estates in Velké Opatovice are those of the Vězník, Salm, and Herberštein families.Castle
The city's baroqueBaroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
castle dates to 1757. It belonged to the Salm family, and passed to the Herbersteins in the late 18th century. The Herbersteins added the castle's neobaroque tower. The castle passed to municipal control after 1945, and it was damaged by a fire that destroyed one block in 1978. The castle now serves as the town museum, with a memorial hall devoted to academic sculptor Carl Otáhal who lived in Velké Opatovice for 30 years. In 2007, the burnt part of the building was replaced with an elliptical auditorium. The castles grounds include beautiful parkland containing plant and animal species and a statue of Bedřich Smetana
Bedrich Smetana
Bedřich Smetana was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style which became closely identified with his country's aspirations to independent statehood. He is thus widely regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music...
.
Church of St. George
The city's major church is of interest for its baroque decoration and altar relief of St. George fighting the dragon. The church was built in the late 18th century on the site of a 14th century Gothic temple.Cartographic centre
The centre hosts a permanent exhibition on the historical development of cartography. Subjects include the philosophy entailed in imagery of the Earth's surface on maps, and the history of the production of maps. The main auditorium displays a giant relief-map of historical Moravia and Silesia.Smolenská reservoir
Two km north of the city is Smolenska reservoir, which can be used as a bathing lake. The surrounding countryside is also used for hiking, cycling, and skiing in winter.Opatovické hradisko
1.5 km south of the city stand the remnants of a 513m tall Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
building. In the rockface below the sculptor Karel Otáhal inscribed relief texts by the poet Petr Bezruč
Petr Bezruc
Petr Bezruč was the pseudonym of Vladimír Vašek , a Czech poet and short story writer who was associated with the region of Austrian Silesia.Bezruč was born in Opava and died in Olomouc.- Works :Poetry...
and the composer J.B. Foerst.
At nearby Velká Roudka is the Františkův spring, which produces drinkable water, and the remainder of an abandoned spa founded in 1839.
In Svárov, near this village, is a rock formation
Rock formation
This is a list of rock formations that include isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrops. These formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock...
called the "stone wedding." Local legend holds that the standing stone
Standing stone
Standing stones, orthostats, liths, or more commonly megaliths are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in many different varieties....
s there are petrified guests from a wedding, cursed by the chef who was making the wedding dinner and was angry that they were late.
The village is close to the Moravian karst
Moravian Karst
The Moravian Karst is a karst landscape and protected nature reserve to the north of Brno in the eastern part of the Czech Republic, located near the town of Blansko. It encompasses a number of notable geological features, including roughly 1100 caverns and gorges and covers an area of roughly 92...
area north of Brno, a limestone nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
containing around 400 caves, several open for public exploration. The region's Punkva underground river
Subterranean river
A subterranean river is a river that runs wholly or partly beneath the ground surface – one where the riverbed does not represent the surface of the Earth ....
and 140 metre-deep Macocha abyss are also tourist attractions.
Nearby Castle Bouzov is a 14th century building largely reconstructed in the romantic style is often used for movie filming.
Facilities, culture, and sport
The town is served by several restaurants and around nine pubs. Nearby JevíčkoJevícko
Jevíčko is a town in Svitavy District, in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. The town has a population of 2,900.-History:Jevíčko was part of the Great Moravian Empire in the 9th and early 10th century, and at various times was under the control of one or the other of Boskovice or Olomouc....
houses at least two hotels; the city of Boskovice has further entertainment venues. Public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
is provided by buses. Also within the castle grounds is the town cinema, open on Fridays. A community centre in the centre of the town hosts balls, meetings, tourism events, and dances.
As well as the town museum located in the castle, Velké Opatovice has a gallery devoted to sculptor Karel Otáhal, the creator of a lifesize statue of Smetana located in the castle grounds. The gallery displays over 40 of his busts and many drawings.
A football field hosts matches every Sunday. The town's team holds an annual friendly football match against a team from Croatia, and a local factory has an annual friendly against a company from Germany and the Netherlands. Other facilities include tennis courts and the school sports hall, and women's aerobic classes are held at the community centre.
Events
The city's major annual event is a summer jazz festival held each July, hosting Czech and international bands. July also sees the firemen's beer festivalBeer festival
A Beer Festival is an organised event during which a variety of beers are available for tasting and purchase. Beer festivals are held in a number of countries...
, a weekend-long programme of food, drink, and music. St George's Fair is celebrated on April 27, featuring fairground attractions, music at the community centre, family gatherings, and traditional dress.
Industry and employment
German company P-D Refractories, a producer of refractory products and raw materials, operates a large factory employing many residents of the Velké Opatovice area. The factory produces fireclay bricks, high-alumina bricks, and insulating bricks. The mining industryMining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
in nearby Březinka employs more than 1,000 people and is headquartered in Germany. Many other residents are self-employed or work in small businesses including the local butchers, florists, sweetshop, and construction company.