Moravian-Silesian Region , or
Moravo-Silesian Region, is one of 14 administrative
Regions of the Czech RepublicAccording to Czech Law no. 129/2000 , which replaced paragraph 1/1993 of the Czech Constitution on Vyšší územně správních celcích , the Czech Republic has consisted of thirteen regions and one capital city with regional status since 1 January 2000...
, until May 2001 it was formerly called the
Ostrava Region . The region is located in the north-eastern part of its historical region of
MoraviaMoravia 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...
and in most of the
Czech partCzech Silesia is an unofficial name of one of the three Czech lands and a section of the Silesian historical region. It is located in the north-east of the Czech Republic, predominantly in the Moravian-Silesian Region, with a section in the northern Olomouc Region...
of the historical region of
SilesiaSilesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
. The region borders the
Olomouc RegionOlomouc Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the north-western and central part of its historical region of Moravia and in a small part of the historical region of Silesia . It is named for its capital Olomouc.-External links:* *...
(to the west) and
Zlín RegionZlín Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the central-eastern part of the historical region of Moravia. It is named after its capital Zlín....
(to the south). It also borders two other countries –
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
to the north and
SlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
to the east.
Once a highly industrialized region, it was called the "Steel Heart of the Country" in the communist era. There are, in addition, several mountainous areas where the landscape is relatively preserved.
Nowadays, the economy of the region benefits from its location on the borders of two other Central European countries: Poland and Slovakia.
Geography
The geography of the region varies considerably, compromising many landforms from lowlands to high mountains whose summits lie above the tree line.
In the west lie the
Hrubý JeseníkHrubý Jeseník is a mountain range of Eastern Sudetes in northern Moravia and Czech Silesia. It is the second highest mountain range in the Czech Republic.Some of the most interesting sights:*Praděd, the highest mountain...
mountains, with the highest mountain of the region, and all
MoraviaMoravia 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...
),
PradědPraděd is the highest mountain of Hrubý Jeseník mountains and Moravia and Czech Silesia and is fifth highest mountain of Czech Republic.The average annual temperature is about 1°C....
, rising 1491 meters. The mountains are heavily forested, with many spectacular places and famous spas such as Karlova Studánka and
JeseníkJeseník , Frývaldov until 1948 is a city and a district in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic.- Districts :* Bukovice * Dětřichov * Jeseník * Lázně Jeseník - History :...
) and are therefore very popular with tourists. There are also several ski resorts, including Červenohorské Sedlo and Ovčárna, with long-lasting snow cover. The Hrubý Jeseník mountains slowly merge into the rolling hills of the Nízký Jeseníks and Oderské Vrchy, rising to 800m at Slunečná and 680m at Fidlův Kopec respectively.
To the east, the landscape gradually descends into the
Moravian GateThe Moravian Gate is a geomorphological feature in the Moravian region of the Czech Republic. It is formed by the depression between the Carpathian Mountains in the east and the Sudetes in the west...
(
Moravská brána) valley with the
BečvaThe Bečva is a river in the Czech Republic. It is a left tributary of the river Morava. The Bečva is created by two source streams, the Northern Rožnovská Bečva and the Southern Vsetínská Bečva The Bečva is a river in the Czech Republic. It is a left tributary of the river Morava. The Bečva is...
and
OdraThe Oder is a river in Central Europe. It rises in the Czech Republic and flows through western Poland, later forming of the border between Poland and Germany, part of the Oder-Neisse line...
rivers. The former flows to the south-west, the latter to the north-east, where the terrain spreads into the flat Ostrava and Opava basins (Ostravská a Opavská pánev), where most of the population lives. The region's heavy industry, which has been in decline for the last decade, is located there too, benefiting from huge deposits of hard coal. The confluence of the rivers Odra and Olše is the lowest point of the region, at 195 m.
To the south-east, towards the Slovakian border, the landscape sharply rises into the
Moravian-Silesian BeskidsThe Moravian-Silesian Beskids is a mountain range in the Czech Republic with a small part reaching to Slovakia. It lies on the historical division between Moravia and Silesia, hence the name...
(often referred to just as Beskydy), with its highest mountain Lysá Hora (Bald Mountain) at 1323 m, which is considered to be the place with the highest annual rainfall in the Czech Republic, a year. The mountains are heavily forested and serve as a holiday resort for the industrial north.
Nature Conservation
There are three large
Landscape Protected Areas (
Chráněné krajinné oblasti, CHKO) and a number of smaller nature reserves in the region. Countryside more affected by humans, yet still scenic is protected in five Nature Parks (
Přírodní parky).
The CHKO Jeseníky (with an area of 745 km²) lies in the mountain range of the same name in the north east of the region. The terrain is very diverse, with steep slopes and deep valleys. Eighty percent of the area is forested, mostly by secondary plantations of
Norway spruceNorway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
, which were seriously damaged by industrial emissions. Due to local weather conditions, the tree line in the area descends to 1200–1300 m. Alpine meadows can be found in particularly low elevations in the Jeseník mountains. There are also a few
peatPeat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
moors, which are otherwise non-existent in Moravia.
The CHKO Poodří (81.5 km²) lies in the Moravian Gate, in close proximity to the region's capital
OstravaOstrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
, on the banks of the meandering Odra. It is an area of floodplain forests (one of the last preserved in Central Europe), flooded meadows and a lot of shallow ponds, on which water birds thrive.
The CHKO
BeskydyThe Moravian-Silesian Beskids is a mountain range in the Czech Republic with a small part reaching to Slovakia. It lies on the historical division between Moravia and Silesia, hence the name...
(1,160 km²) is the largest Czech CHKO. It lies in the south-east of the region, along the Slovakian boundary. In the north, the mountains rise steeply from the Ostrava basin, to the south their elevation and severity decreases. Most of the area is forested, mainly by
Norway spruceNorway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
plantations, which are not indigenous to the area. Many of these were severely damaged by emissions from the Ostrava industrial region. There are, however, also a lot of either newly planted or preserved forests of
European beechFagus sylvatica, the European Beech or Common Beech, is a deciduous tree belonging to the beech family Fagaceae.-Natural range:...
, which in the past covered most of the mountains. The CHKO is typical by its mosaic of forests and highland meadows and pastures with hamlets scattered throughout all the mountains. In recent years
bearBears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
and wolf sighting have become more frequent.
There are altogether 125 small, protected nature areas covering an area of 52 km². The most notable of them is the lime
Šipka CaveŠipka is a cave located near Štramberk, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic, 440 m above sea level. In 1880, a mandible of a Neanderthal child was found there. The age of the child has been estimated to be between 9 and 10 years....
(
Jeskyně Šipka) near
ŠtramberkŠtramberk is a small town in the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic, next to Kopřivnice. It lies on the slope of a forested lime hill, dominated by the Trúba castle tower...
, where remnants of a Neanderthal man were discovered in the late nineteenth century.
Places of Interest
There are three towns with protected historical centers.
PříborPříbor is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 8,800 inhabitants .The town is notable as the birthplace of Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis.-External links: * * * * *...
, the birthplace of Sigmund Freud, was an important center of education for northern Moravia from the 17th century to the first half of the 20th.
Nový JičínNový Jičín is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has ca. 26,500 inhabitants. The city is situated on the spurs of the Carpathian Mountains about from the Czech Republic's 3rd biggest city, Ostrava...
, founded under the castle of
Starý JičínStarý Jičín is a village in the Nový Jičín District, Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 2,400 inhabitants.Villages Dub, Heřmanice, Janovice, Jičina, Palačov, Petřkovice, Starojická Lhota and Vlčnov are administrative parts of Starý Jičín.-External links:* *...
, has a well preserved central square dating back to the 14th century, with the Žerotínský château nearby.
ŠtramberkŠtramberk is a small town in the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic, next to Kopřivnice. It lies on the slope of a forested lime hill, dominated by the Trúba castle tower...
is a unique small town nestled in a valley between lime hills, with many timber houses and the Trúba Spire rising on a hill above the town.
There are many castles and châteaus in the region; the most famous being
Hradec nad MoravicíHradec nad Moravicí is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic located about 8 km south of Opava. It has cca 5,150 inhabitants. The town is dominated by a castle complex....
,
Raduň,
KravařeKravaře is a town in Silesia in the Czech Republic. It has 6,650 inhabitants. It is located between Ostrava and Opava . It is part of the Hlučínsko micro-region.-History of the town:The first historical record of Kravaře is from 1224...
and
Fulnek----Fulnek is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic, about 30 km south from Opava.- People :People from Fulnek include:* Leopold Ritter von Dittel , urologist, worked in Austria...
.
HukvaldyHukvaldy is a village in the Czech Republic, in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Population: 1,900. It lies 150m below the ruins of the third largest castle in the Czech Republic, Hukvaldy Castle , and is the birthplace of the composer Leoš Janáček and palaeontologist Ferdinand Stoliczka.The castle...
, in a village of the same name under the
Moravian-Silesian BeskidsThe Moravian-Silesian Beskids is a mountain range in the Czech Republic with a small part reaching to Slovakia. It lies on the historical division between Moravia and Silesia, hence the name...
mountains, is one the region's many castle ruins, known for a musical festival dedicated to the composer
Leoš JanáčekLeoš Janáček was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist, publicist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and all Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to folkloristic research and his early musical output was influenced by...
, who was born there. Another well-known castle ruin is Sovinec under the Hrubý Jeseníks.
Due to the importance of industry in the region, there are many museums displaying products of local technical development: The Automobile Museum in
KopřivniceKopřivnice is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has cca 23,500 inhabitants.- History :In 1850, both of the former villages, Drnholec nad Lubinou and Větřkovice, became a part of the political district of Nový Jičín within the judicial district Příbor...
exhibits the history Tatra, the Train Car Museum in
StudénkaStudénka is a town of 10,210 residents in Nový Jičín District of the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. It is on the mainline railway between Kraków and Prague, and was the scene of the Studénka train disaster in August 2008. The town is situated on both sides of the historical border...
, the Mining Museum and the former Michal Mine (
Důl Michal) in
OstravaOstrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
, and many others.
Population
The total population of the region was 1,262,660 (men 48.83%, women 51.20%) in 2002, which makes it the most populous
RegionAccording to Czech Law no. 129/2000 , which replaced paragraph 1/1993 of the Czech Constitution on Vyšší územně správních celcích , the Czech Republic has consisted of thirteen regions and one capital city with regional status since 1 January 2000...
in the Czech Republic. 86.9% are Czechs, 3.3%
SlovaksThe Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
, 3.0%
Polesthumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
, 2.3%
MoraviansMoravians are the modern West Slavic inhabitants of the historical land of Moravia, the easternmost part of the Czech Republic, which includes the Moravian Slovakia. They speak the two main groups of Moravian dialects , the transitional Bohemian-Moravian dialect subgroup and standard Czech...
,0.8%
SilesiansSilesians , are the inhabitants of Silesia in Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic. A small diaspora community also exists in Karnes County, Texas in the USA....
, 0.3%
GermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
and 0.2% Roma, though this last figure might be considerably higher as Roma often do not officially admit their nationality. 40.2% of the population are religious, mostly Roman Catholic, while 52.3% declare themselves atheists.
The population density is 227.3 inhabitants per km², which is the second highest in the country, after the capital Prague (
Praha). Most of the population is urban, 62% living in towns with over 20,000 inhabitants.
Administrative division
There are 302 municipalities, of which there are 39 towns, 16 with population over 10,000 inhabitants and 5 towns with over 60,000. These are the capital of the region
OstravaOstrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
(314,102 in 2002),
HavířovHavířov is a city in the Karviná District, Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has 82,768 inhabitants, making it the second-largest city in the region. It is the largest town in the country without a university...
(85,271),
KarvináKarviná is a city in Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic, on the Olza River. It is administrative center of Karviná District. Karviná lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia and is one of the most important coal mining centers in the Czech Republic. Together with neighboring...
(61,146),
OpavaOpava is a city in the northern Czech Republic on the river Opava, located to the north-west of Ostrava. The historical capital of Czech Silesia, Opava is now in the Moravian-Silesian Region and has a population of 59,843 as of January 1, 2005....
(60,731) and
Frýdek-MístekFrýdek-Místek is a city in Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It is the administrative center of Frýdek-Místek District. It comprises two formerly independent towns, Frýdek and Místek, divided by the Ostravice River...
(60,603).
Municipalities with Extended Competence
Since 2003-01-01 the region has been divided into 22 Municipalities with Extended Competence which took over most of the administration of the former District Authorities. Some of these are further divided into Municipalities with Commissioned Local Authority. They are unofficially named Little Districts . They are:
- Bílovec
Bílovec is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region, near Nový Jičín. It is situated on the slopes of the Nízký Jeseník mountains and on the banks of the Bílovka River....
- Bohumín
Bohumín is a town in Karviná District, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic on the border with Poland. The confluence of the Oder and Olza Rivers is situated just north of the town. The town lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....
- Bruntál
Bruntál is a town located near the western boundary of Moravian-Silesian Region, in Czech Silesia. A suitable position in the middle of the Jeseníky Mountains provides an ample number of touristic opportunities to the town...
- Český Těšín
Český Těšín is a town in the Karviná District, Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. The town is commonly known in the region as just Těšín . It lies on the west bank of the Olza River, in the heart of the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia...
- Frenštát pod Radhoštěm
Frenštát pod Radhoštěm is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic.It lies under the Moravian-Silesian Beskids Range, in a region rich in history and therefore the town is an important holiday resort in both summer and winter....
- Frýdek-Místek
Frýdek-Místek is a city in Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It is the administrative center of Frýdek-Místek District. It comprises two formerly independent towns, Frýdek and Místek, divided by the Ostravice River...
- Frýdlant nad Ostravicí
- Havířov
Havířov is a city in the Karviná District, Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has 82,768 inhabitants, making it the second-largest city in the region. It is the largest town in the country without a university...
- Hlučín
Hlučín is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It is the center of the Hlučín Region. The population was 14,500 as of 2004....
- Jablunkov
Jablunkov is a town in Frýdek-Místek District, Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has a population of 5,750 , 23% of the population are Poles. Jablunkov lies between the Silesian and Moravian-Silesian Beskids mountain ranges, in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia, and is the...
- Karviná
Karviná is a city in Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic, on the Olza River. It is administrative center of Karviná District. Karviná lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia and is one of the most important coal mining centers in the Czech Republic. Together with neighboring...
- Kopřivnice
Kopřivnice is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has cca 23,500 inhabitants.- History :In 1850, both of the former villages, Drnholec nad Lubinou and Větřkovice, became a part of the political district of Nový Jičín within the judicial district Příbor...
- Kravaře
Kravaře is a town in Silesia in the Czech Republic. It has 6,650 inhabitants. It is located between Ostrava and Opava . It is part of the Hlučínsko micro-region.-History of the town:The first historical record of Kravaře is from 1224...
- Krnov
Krnov is an Upper Silesian city in the northeastern Czech Republic, in the Moravian-Silesian Region, the District of Bruntál, on the Opava River, near the Polish border....
- Nový Jičín
Nový Jičín is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has ca. 26,500 inhabitants. The city is situated on the spurs of the Carpathian Mountains about from the Czech Republic's 3rd biggest city, Ostrava...
- Odry
Odry is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has 7,467 inhabitants.- External links :*...
- Opava
Opava is a city in the northern Czech Republic on the river Opava, located to the north-west of Ostrava. The historical capital of Czech Silesia, Opava is now in the Moravian-Silesian Region and has a population of 59,843 as of January 1, 2005....
- Orlová
Orlová is a town in the Karviná District, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia.- History :...
- Ostrava
Ostrava is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the second largest urban agglomeration after Prague. Located close to the Polish border, it is also the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region and of the Municipality with Extended Competence. Ostrava was candidate for the...
- Rýmařov
Rýmařov is a town in the Bruntál District, Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 8,856 as of 25 Mar 2010.- History :...
- Třinec
Třinec is a town in Frýdek-Místek District, Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It lies on the Olza River, in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia. The town has 37,405 inhabitants as of 2009, in 2001 17.7% of the population were Poles...
- Vítkov
Vítkov is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has circa 6,200 inhabitants.Villages Jelenice, Klokočov, Nové Těchanovice, Podhradí, Prostřední Dvůr, Lhotka and Zálužné are administrative districts of Vítkov....
.
Districts
Traditionally, the region has been divided into six Districts which still exist as regional units though most administration has been shifted to the Municipalities with Extended Competence and the Municipalities with Commissioned Local Authority.
- Bruntál
Bruntál District is a district within Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is Bruntál, but the biggest town is Krnov...
- Frýdek-Místek
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...
- Karviná
Karviná District is a district within the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Its administrative center is the city of Karviná. It was created by 1960 reform of administrative divisions in the area of former Fryštát District...
- Nový Jičín
Nový Jičín District is a district within Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is Nový Jičín.- List of all towns and villages :...
- Opava
Opava District is a district within Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is Opava.- Complete list of municipalities :Bělá -Bohuslavice -Bolatice -Branka u Opavy -Bratříkovice -Brumovice -Březová -...
- Ostrava-City
Ostrava-City District is a district within Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is Ostrava.- Complete list of municipalities :...
History
Until 2000 the current region did not exist as such but was only a part of a larger administrative unit called the North Moravian Region (
Severomoravský kraj). 6 of its Districts (
okresy), Bruntál, Frýdek-Místek, Karviná, Nový Jičín, Opava and Ostrava, were in 2000 put into the newly established Moravian-Silesian Region. The old North Moravian Region still exists and jurisdiction of some administrative bodies is defined by its borders.
External links