Levý Hradec
Encyclopedia
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
situated 10 km northwest 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...
near Roztoky
Roztoky
Roztoky is a small town in the Czech Republic. It is located on the Vltava River, just north of Prague, the country's capital. 7,719 inhabitants was registered as of January, 1st 2010, but the true number of citizens is probably higher due to a massive development of the town in recent years and...
, in 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....
. This fortified hill fort served as the original seat of Bořivoj I, the first known Přemyslid
Premyslid dynasty
The Přemyslids , were a Czech royal dynasty which reigned in Bohemia and Moravia , and partly also in Hungary, Silesia, Austria and Poland.-Legendary rulers:...
ruler. The fortified hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
was built on the left bank of the Vltava River approximately in the half of the 9th century.
The first Christian church was built here shortly after Bořivoj I converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. This church was consecrated to St. Clement.
The first historical evidence concerning Levý Hradec comes from Kristián
Kristian
Kristian is also the spelling of the name Christian in several languages, among them Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish.Kristian may also refer to:-Given name:* Kristian Digby , British television presenter and director...
who wrote about the St. Clement church and its first priest Kaich. Kristián
Kristian
Kristian is also the spelling of the name Christian in several languages, among them Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish.Kristian may also refer to:-Given name:* Kristian Digby , British television presenter and director...
also mentions Saint Adalbert
Adalbert of Prague
This article is about St Adalbert of Prague. For other uses, see Adalbert .Saint Adalbert, Czech: ; , , Czech Roman Catholic saint, a Bishop of Prague and a missionary, was martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians. He evangelized Poles and Hungarians. St...
of Slavník's dynasty
Slavník's dynasty
The Slavniks/Slavníks or Slavnikids was a powerful dynasty in Bohemia during the 10th century. It governed Zličané, one of the oldest Czech tribes. The center of the principality was the gord of Libice located at the confluence of the rivers Cidlina and Elbe...
to be elected here into his bishopic office on 19 February 982.
Přemyslid dynasty
Premyslid dynasty
The Přemyslids , were a Czech royal dynasty which reigned in Bohemia and Moravia , and partly also in Hungary, Silesia, Austria and Poland.-Legendary rulers:...
left Levý Hradec at the beginning of the 10th century but it seems that settlement persevered as dense as in the 9th century. New building were constructed and fortifications regularly repaired.
The site was abandoned at the end of the 11th century as there is no further evidence of fortifications being repaired. Nevertheless, the reason why it happened so is still unknown.
The site was excavated as soon as the 19th century by archaeologists Čeněk Rýzner and Josef Ladislav Píč
Josef Ladislav Píc
Josef Ladislav Píč was Czech archaeologist and paleontologist, one of founders of modern Czech archaeology....
. The main excavations took place in the 1930s and 1950s when Ivan Borkovský excavated the foundations of the original St. Clement church.
Near to Levý Hradec another early medieval fort has been first described by Josef Ladislav Píč. The excavations started there in 2000 discovered remains of much larger settlement than expected until then, comparable with Levý Hradec. The involved archaeologists now assume this settlement is the Pravý Hradec (levý hradec means fort on the left side, pravý means on the right side), the fort mentioned in contemporary records but never identified.
External links
- Website of Levý Hradec (in Czech)
- Detailed information about excavation in the locality (in Czech)
- Levý Hradec in historical context (overview article in Czech)