Holašovice
Encyclopedia
Holašovice is a small historic village located in the south of the Czech Republic
, 15 kilometres west of České Budějovice
. Village belongs to the municipality Jankov
. To the south lies the protected landscape area of Blanský Forest. The village was deserted after the Second World War, allowing its medieval plan and vernacular buildings in the South Bohemian Folk or Rural Baroque
style to remain intact. It was restored and repopulated from 1990, and it was designated as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
in 1998.
. It remained the property of the monastery until 1848.
Between 1520 and 1525, Holašovice was nearly wiped out by the bubonic plague
. Only two of its inhabitants survived. A column erected over the plague grave at the north end of the village commemorates this event. The monastery gradually repopulated the village with settlers from Bavaria
and Austria
. By 1530, the population had risen to 17, according to the monastery's records, and it had become a mainly German-speaking
enclave within the Czech language
area. By 1895, there were 157 inhabitants of German ethnic origin and 19 of Czech ethic origin.
After the displacement of German residents at the end of the Second World War, many farms in the village were deserted and fell into disrepair. Holašovice became a desolate and abandoned place under the Czech post-war Communist regime.
From 1990, the village was lavishly restored and inhabited once more. It now has a population of around 140.
The buildings date from the 18th to 20th century, with most of them built in the second half of the 19th century. They are constructed in the South Bohemian Folk Baroque
style. The chapel of St. John of Nepomuk
in the city centre was built in 1755.
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....
, 15 kilometres west of České Budějovice
Ceské Budejovice
České Budějovice is a city in the Czech Republic. It is the largest city in the South Bohemian Region and is the political and commercial capital of the region and centre of the Roman Catholic Diocese of České Budějovice and of the University of South Bohemia and the Academy of Sciences...
. Village belongs to the municipality Jankov
Jankov (České Budějovice District)
Jankov is a village and municipality in České Budějovice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 383 ....
. To the south lies the protected landscape area of Blanský Forest. The village was deserted after the Second World War, allowing its medieval plan and vernacular buildings in the South Bohemian Folk or Rural Baroque
Baroque
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...
style to remain intact. It was restored and repopulated from 1990, and it was designated as a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in 1998.
History
Holašovice is first mentioned in 1263. In 1292, King Wenceslaus II gave the village and several others to the Cistercian monastery of Vyšší BrodVyšší Brod
Vyšší Brod is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 2,600 inhabitants and it's the southernmost municipality in the Czech Republic. There is Vyšší Brod Monastery, very important historic landmark.-External links:*...
. It remained the property of the monastery until 1848.
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
. Only two of its inhabitants survived. A column erected over the plague grave at the north end of the village commemorates this event. The monastery gradually repopulated the village with settlers from Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. By 1530, the population had risen to 17, according to the monastery's records, and it had become a mainly German-speaking
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
enclave within the Czech language
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
area. By 1895, there were 157 inhabitants of German ethnic origin and 19 of Czech ethic origin.
After the displacement of German residents at the end of the Second World War, many farms in the village were deserted and fell into disrepair. Holašovice became a desolate and abandoned place under the Czech post-war Communist regime.
From 1990, the village was lavishly restored and inhabited once more. It now has a population of around 140.
Buildings
Holašovice is a typical Bohemian village for the Hlubocká Blatská area around České Budějovice. It consists of 23 brick farmyards containing 120 buildings, each with their gable end facing a central broad village green, with a fish pond and chapel.The buildings date from the 18th to 20th century, with most of them built in the second half of the 19th century. They are constructed in the South Bohemian Folk Baroque
Baroque
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...
style. The chapel of St. John of Nepomuk
John of Nepomuk
John of Nepomuk is a national saint of the Czech Republic, who was drowned in the Vltava river at the behest of Wenceslaus, King of the Romans and King of Bohemia. Later accounts state that he was the confessor of the queen of Bohemia and refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional...
in the city centre was built in 1755.
External links
- http://www.pruvodce.com/holasovice/ab.php3
- Entry on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- http://www.holasovice.eu/index.htm