First published: 18/03/19.

Matejicek 0

Sites Of Great Moravia

Sites of Great Moravia (On tentative list)

Sites of Great Moravia by Matejicek

I completely agree that Mikulčice archeological park is one of the most important archeo-sites in Czech and Slovak Republics. Empire of Great Morava is of great importance for Czechs, Slovaks and Balkan Slavonic nations, but it has no OUV and should not be WHS. The site is very popular. It is partly due to a propaganda in the Comunist times that everything related with the East that beats the West was greatly supported, and also in midle ages because the emperor Charles IV used the lagacy of Great Moravia archbishopric for justification of independency of church of Bohemia from Germans in 14th century. Furthermore, the testimony of Great Moravia is misused by Slovak nationalists and ultraconservatives. The problem is that Great Moravia lasted only for short period in 9th-10th century, and its heritage is overestimated.

I really like the artefacts that were found during long-term excavations such as jewelry. What can be seen in Mikulčice now is only the platforms of 11 churches and several other buildings. Almost no architectonical details were found (only few fragments of crushed frescoes). Several types of churches were excavated showing influences of both West and East: (1) simple one nave church with rectangular apsida, (2) simple one nave church with round apsida, (3) central building with one or more apsidas - rotunda (adriatic influence), (4) three-nave basilica with one apsida. All of them were not very monumental or special as compared to buildings in other parts of Europe. The only still standing church from 27 churches of this period that were excavated is the building in Kopčany (photo), now in Slovakia due to the regulations of river Morava in 19th and 20th century. It is in fact church No 12 of Mikulčice. I think that this building should not be listed as WHS.

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updates 2021: After two unsuccessful attempts, the state parties are working on the upgraded nomination. It should include not only Mikulčice settlement and Kopčany church, but also other sites of Great Moravia such as Pohansko, which is already part of Lednice-Valtice WHS, Staré Město and Sady u Uherského Hradiště in Czechia, as well as several sites in Slovakia (Nitra). Thus, it follows the crazy trend of serial nominations with double-inscriptions. We will see in the near future...

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