Ostrava Region
- region of the Beskydy and Jeseníky mountains, and the River Ohře
- region of cultural and technical monuments
The Czech parliament decided that it was to be called the Ostrava
Region. Very soon, however, the newly elected Regional Council decided
to change the name to the Moravian-Silesian Region, as it takes in North
Moravia and part of Silesia. Apart from the geographical and historical
reasons behind this decision, the name Ostrava is associated in the Czech
Republic with heavy industry and pollution.
This, however, is no longer true. Times are changing very fast and
heavy industry is dwindling. Previously devastated areas are being recultivated
leaving what are now only industrial and technical monuments. In addition,
the Ostrava region means far more than just the coal basin. It is a region
of the most picturesque mountain ranges with the Beskydy Mountains to the
East and both Jeseník ranges to the West. It is in the latter that you
will find Mount Praděd, the highest mountain in Moravia. Between the two
ranges is the wide valley of the River Ohře with many lakes and ponds.
One
of the most beautiful areas is Wallachia, famous throughout the civilised
world because of the Wallachian Kingdom with its deposed king and
its own currency, passports and embassies abroad. Indeed, the Wallachian
Kingdom constitutes a unique tourist product based on humour, hospitality
and local specialities. The Wallachian Kingdom offers discounts on prices
paid for entrance tickets to monuments, on bills at restaurants and other
tourist facilities. The guardians of the realm can provide you with all
sorts of tips for tours including packages involving active tourism.
The Moravian-Silesian Beskydy range is in the easternmost part
of the region stretching over into Poland and Slovakia. Most of the range
consists of dense forests with mountain meadows with characteristic mountain
chalets and farmsteads. Folklore traditions are very strong in this part
of the world and you can see some wonderful examples of rustic architecture
in the form of wooden churches, chapels and village bell towers. Such buildings
can also be found on the mountain ridges, for example on Pustevny or Radhošť.
Those who like hiking or cross-country skiing in winter are afforded the
most breathtaking views of the countryside, especially if they follow the
route from Bumbálka to Visalaje, or in the opposite direction to Soláň,
or from the Javor peak to Grúň. These places are among the best-known skiing
resorts in the region.
On the other side of the region is the area of Mount Praděd,
which is linked with many legends. This is an area for agrotourism and
horse riding. Health foods and a special herbal liqueur are specialities
of the area. The Jeseník Mountains are wilder than the Beskydy. There are
far fewer inhabitants here and you will find plenty of countryside here
unspoilt by human civilisation. Witches and devils are said to inhabit
the area, and, who knows, you might come across them when hiking along
the Red Mountain Ridge to Šerák, or in the opposite direction to Skřítek.
You will pass through a nature reserve with centuries-old spruces covered
in lichen. Thanks to the excellent skiing conditions and services, the
Jeseník Mountains are a paradise for skiers. Praděd, Red Mountain Ridge,
Malá Morávka and Ostružná are all resorts where there is snow right through
till May.
The foothills of the Jeseník Mountains, called the Low Jeseník, lead from Rýmařov almost right to Ostrava itself. One of the main landmarks there is the recently built reservoir Slezská Harta, where scenes from the French version of Joan of Arc were filmed. The valleys of the rivers Moravice, Budišovka and the upper reaches of the Odra are very popular with hikers. This inimitable and most beautiful area is ideal for those who want to spend a holiday far from the madding crowd.
The
Ostrava region has a dense network of cycling tracks. At the beginning
of the year there was a total of 1,500 kilometres of marked cycling paths.
A number of international cycling routes also pass through the region.
These include the Amber Trail, the Czech-Polish and Czech-Slovak border
trails and the Jihlava-Český Těšín route. You can find more information
on the websites beskydy-info.cz, jeseniky-vrbensko.cz and slunecna.cz.
The staff at the local information centres will also be pleased to help
you.
Whether you are travelling by train, car or bike, you should not miss a visit to the stately homes of Bruntál, Hradec nad Moravicí, Raduň and Kravaře near Opava or the Fryštát chateau in Karviná. They are all surrounded by interesting and very beautiful parks. The arboretum at Nový Dvůr is quite unique and also has the largest collection of rhododendrons in the Czech Republic. Then there are the old castles of Sovinec and Hukvaldy, and the castle ruins at Rabštejn, Vikštejn and Starý Jičín, all of which afford beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.
Tourist attractions also include the conservation areas in the towns of Nový Jičín, Příbor (the birthplace of Sigmund Freud), Štramberk with the famous Štramberk tower, and Fulnek with a monument to Comenius. In the Northwest of the region, visitors can admire the architectural monuments in the Silesian towns of Opava and Krnov.
The region also has the spas of Karlova Studánka below Praděd, Darkov
in Karviná and Klimkovice near Ostrava.
The Ostrava region also has a number of technical and industrial monuments
and museums very worthwhile visiting. In Kopřivnice, the home of the Tatra
factory, you can find the automobile museum, which has new premises. Video
projections are given with a commentary in three world languages. Then
there is the Mining Museum at the Anselm mine in the Petřkovice district
of Ostrava. The exhibits are mostly in connection with coalmining in and
around Ostrava, and include original machinery and equipment used in the
mines. Visitors can also go down the mine there to visit one of the galleries.
There is also an exhibition of archaeological finds documenting the settlement
of Landek 20,000 years ago. There is also a typical miners’ pub, a nature
trail and sports facilities. There are also technical museums at the Michal
colliery in Ostrava, in Studénka and Petřvald.
The Ostrava region can offer tourists beautiful countryside, the possibility to spend an active holiday, and a wealth of cultural and technical monuments.
Jitka Švihelová, Ostrava Regional Council
Web pages:
kraj-ostravsky.cz, beskydy-info.cz,
beskydyonline.cz, beskydy-valassko.cz,
jeseniky-praded.cz, jeseniky-vrbensko.cz,
valasske-kralovstvi.cz, museumtatra.cz,
mmo.cz, castleinfo.cz,
hrady-zamky.cz