Velehrad
Velehrad is a municipality and village in Uherské Hradiště District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,100 inhabitants. It is known as a pilgrimage site.
Velehrad | |
|---|---|
 Basilica of Saints Cyril and Methodius | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Velehrad Location in the Czech Republic | |
| Coordinates: 49°6′20″N 17°23′39″E | |
| Country |  Czech Republic |
| Region | Zlín |
| District | Uherské Hradiště |
| Founded | 1205 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Aleš Mergental |
| Area | |
| • Total | 22.25 km2 (8.59 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 219 m (719 ft) |
| Population (2022-01-01)[1] | |
| • Total | 1,112 |
| • Density | 50/km2 (130/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 687 06 |
| Website | www |
Geography
Most of the municipality lies in the Chřiby highlands. The built-up area lies in the valley of the stream Salaška.
History
The first written mention of Velingrad is from 1141. It was however the old name of neighbouring Staré Město, from which the name Velehrad was derived.[2] In 1205, Margrave of Moravia Vladislaus III founded here a Cistercian monastery. The Romanesque monastery complex was finished in the first half of the 13th century.[3]
After the monastery was abolished in 1784 by a decree of Emperor Joseph II, the people who worked in the monastery founded a municipality. The dilapidated monastery complex was gradually repaired in the mid-19th century. Since 1890 it has been managed by Society of Jesus. It became an important pilgrimage site with the annual participation of tens of thousands of pilgrims. In the 1990s it was visited twice by Pope John Paul II.[3]
Sights
Velehrad is the most famous pilgrimage site in the Czech Republic.[4] Sights include:[5]
- The Basilica of the Assumption of Mary and Saints Cyril and Methodius
- The former Cistercian monastery
- The Velehrad house of Saints Cyril and Methodius
- Velehrad cemetery
- The memorial stone called the "King's table" (Králův stůl)
- Rosary Pilgrimage Route with Stations of the Cross
- Columns and statues of St. John of Nepomuk, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary
Notable people
- Otmar Oliva (born 1952), sculptor; lives and works here
References
- "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2022". Czech Statistical Office. 2022-04-29.
- "Historie města" (in Czech). Město Staré Město. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- "Historie poutního místa a jeho památky" (in Czech). Obec Velehrad. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- "Velehrad" (in Czech). Poutní místa ČR. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
- "Velehrad". Velehrad Pilgrimage Site. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
