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Bukovec (Frýdek-Místek District)
Encyclopedia
is a village in Frýdek-Místek District
, Moravian-Silesian Region
of the Czech Republic
. It has 1,356 inhabitants (2001 census), 33.6% of the population are the Poles
and 87.3% are Roman Catholics. It is the easternmost village of the country and the first village in the Czech Republic through which the Olza River
flows. It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia
.
The village was established by Kazimierz, Duke of Cieszyn in 1353. The name of the village is derived from beech
forests that grew there - buk is a Slavic root for beech. The first settlers lived mainly off the logging of local beech forests. After 200 years, the village gained a farming-pasture character. Pastures were established on nearby hills. The number of inhabitants rose very slowly. By 1647, only 20 people lived there. Settlers had many children and soon number of inhabitants rose. They lived in wooden houses.
Since the 18th century, villagers lived mainly off the transport of salt from Wieliczka to Jabłonków, farming, transport of wood and smithing. Later they worked in coal mining
and metallurgy. From the interwar period until after World War II
, smuggling was widespread, as in other villages near the borders.
The village has been traditionally Roman Catholic. The first church was built in June 1939. Bukovec is still locally known for its relatively slow pace of lifestyle. Villagers keep all cultural and religious traditions. Many of the traditional old wooden houses can still be seen.
Frýdek-Místek District
Frýdek-Místek District is a district within the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Its administrative center is the city of Frýdek-Místek. It was created by 1960 reform of administrative divisions...
, Moravian-Silesian Region
Moravian-Silesian Region
Moravian-Silesian Region , or Moravo-Silesian Region, is one of 14 administrative Regions of the Czech Republic, until May 2001 it was formerly called the Ostrava Region . The region is located in the north-eastern part of its historical region of Moravia and in most of the Czech part of the...
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....
. It has 1,356 inhabitants (2001 census), 33.6% of the population are the Poles
Polish minority in the Czech Republic
The Polish minority in the Czech Republic is a Polish national minority living mainly in the Zaolzie region of western Cieszyn Silesia. The Polish community is the only national minority in the Czech Republic that is linked to a specific geographical area. Zaolzie is located in the north-eastern...
and 87.3% are Roman Catholics. It is the easternmost village of the country and the first village in the Czech Republic through which the Olza River
Olza River
is a river in Poland and the Czech Republic, the right tributary of the Oder River. It flows from the Silesian Beskids through southern Cieszyn Silesia in Poland and Frýdek-Místek and Karviná districts of the Czech Republic, often forming the border with Poland. It flows into the Oder River north...
flows. It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia
Cieszyn Silesia or Těšín Silesia or Teschen Silesia is a historical region in south-eastern Silesia, centered around the towns of Cieszyn and Český Těšín and bisected by the Olza River. Since 1920 it has been divided between Poland and Czechoslovakia, and later the Czech Republic...
.
The village was established by Kazimierz, Duke of Cieszyn in 1353. The name of the village is derived from beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
forests that grew there - buk is a Slavic root for beech. The first settlers lived mainly off the logging of local beech forests. After 200 years, the village gained a farming-pasture character. Pastures were established on nearby hills. The number of inhabitants rose very slowly. By 1647, only 20 people lived there. Settlers had many children and soon number of inhabitants rose. They lived in wooden houses.
Since the 18th century, villagers lived mainly off the transport of salt from Wieliczka to Jabłonków, farming, transport of wood and smithing. Later they worked in coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
and metallurgy. From the interwar period until after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, smuggling was widespread, as in other villages near the borders.
The village has been traditionally Roman Catholic. The first church was built in June 1939. Bukovec is still locally known for its relatively slow pace of lifestyle. Villagers keep all cultural and religious traditions. Many of the traditional old wooden houses can still be seen.