Mikulčice

Mikulčice
Village
Church of the Assumption in Mikulčice
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Czech Republic
Region	South Moravian
District	Hodonín
Commune	Hodonín
Elevation	165 m (541 ft)
Coordinates	48°49′N 17°03′E
Area	15.30 km2 (5.91 sq mi)
Population	1,933 (2008-01-01)
Density	126 / km2 (326 / sq mi)
First mention	1131
Mayor	Josef Helešic
Timezone	CET (UTC+1)
- summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	696 19
Location in the Czech Republic
Wikimedia Commons: Mikulčice
Statistics: statnisprava.cz
Website: www.mikulcice.cz

Mikulčice (Czech pronunciation: [ˈmɪkultʃɪtsɛ]) is a municipality (obec) in the Czech Republic, situated 7 km south of Hodonín, near the border with Slovakia. It belongs to the Hodonín District and the South Moravian Region. It extends out for 1,530 ha, with 1,955 inhabitants in 623 homes. Mikulčice has a biospheric reserve, containing for example beavers and stork nests. The local economy is based on agriculture and tourism.

History

Foundations of a 9th century church in Mikulčice-Valy

In the 6th to 10th centuries, a Slavic early medieval fortified settlement existed 3 km away from today's village of Mikulčice. It was one of the main centers of Great Moravia and plausibly also its capital. Excavations, led by Josef Poulík, unearthed the remnants of 12 churches, a palace, and more than 2,500 graves (three of them containing skeletons of Africans). It is protected as a national cultural heritage site Mikulčice-Valy. In addition to this site, the only still-standing church safely dated to the Great Moravian period can be found in the nearby village of Kopčany (in Slovakia). The oldest written references referring to the village of Mikulčice itself dates back to 1131 (Miculcici).

Local divisions

• Mikulčice (303 homes, 918 inhabitants)
• Těšice (320 homes, 988 inhabitants)

External links

• Official website of Mikulčice (Czech)
• Archaeological site Mikulčice-Valy (Czech)
  • Short english version
• Detailed statistics about the village (Czech)