Historic Buildings and Sights - Velké Pavlovice

Church of Our Lady´ s Assumption

9 May Square, Velké Pavlovice

The church of Our Lady´ s Assumption is built in the Baroque style. It was built on the initiative of the owner of the domain of Velké Pavlovice and Hodonín, count Fridrich of Oppersdorf (in 1670–80). The church was originally without a tower, later it had a smaller wooden tower only, the then contemporary tower was built as late as in 1883 which is 35 m high, and also bells were hung up. Over the church entrance, the embossment of the counts of Oppersdorf can be seen up to now. The altar picture of Our Lady´ s Assumption is a copy of a famous picture by the famous Italian painter Maestro Domenicheni. The church vault rests on eight pillars. In the vicinity of this sanctuary there is a Neo-Renaissance cemetery. The church is the property of the Roman Catholic Church.

Before the Thirty Year War, before the battle of White Mountain, there used to stand a Gothic church there, which was consecrated to Saint Catherine; it was completely destroyed in 1623. The church of nowadays stands on the same ground plan as the devastated church. The latter was approximately two thirds smaller than the contemporary church.

If the church was commemorated in the year 1355, also the parsonage must have been there at the same time. As the lords of Lipá were in possession of Velké Pavlovice in the 16^th century, who were Non-Catholics, the followers of the Brethren Union used to build their church of their congregation, consecrated in 1581. The new church was built up in 1592. In 1545, also the Anabaptists settled down here, who, however, left the village quite soon. As early as at the beginning of the Thirty Year War the parsonage was left and the parish was administered from the town of Podivín. It was only in 1686 when it was restored, and a Catholic parson was settled there. The Non-Catholics stayed in this place for a relative long time, since the documents have it that Fridrich of Oppersdorf, who took the domain over in 1676, expelled the remaining Non-Catholics from here. Nowadays the parsonage is a part of the Deanery of Olomouc.

The religious holiday of Our lady´ s Assumption, to which the church in Velké Pavlovice is consecrated, is dated on 15^th August from the times immemorial. This day has always represented one of the main, and at the same time, oldest holidays of the Marian cult, having been celebrated in Rome, Constantinople, and even in the Armenian Church, since the 4^th century. On that day, herbs, fruits, and seed were sanctified (therefore also the holiday of Our Lady of Herbs), which were believed in a folk medicine to have a special power. The liturgical sanctification of flowers was well-known in the 9^th and 10^th century already, and it perhaps continued the tradition of the ancient feast of fruits.

Statue of Saint John of Nepomuk

9 May Square, Velké Pavlovice

The statue of St. John of Nepomuk dates back to the year 1786; it is located in front of the local church on the left side of its door.

Jan of Nepomuk became the patron saint of a safe journey and happy homecoming. He also became the patron saint of Bohemia, priests and confessors, bridges, shipmen, rafters, and millers. He protected against blasphemy and high water. The life of John of Nepomuk had much to do with that element. Saint John of Nepomuk came from the town of Nepomuk, where he was born in about 1345 and baptized in the early Gothic St. Jacob´ s church. The church caught fire several times, but it never burnt down; as if it was protected by somebody with water. In his adult days, John of Nepomuk was tortured, and his dead body was thrown in the Vltava river on 20^th March, 1393 – water became fatal for him. On the place of this death there is the statue of Saint John of Nepomuk standing on the Charles Bridge up to now. The statue at Velké Pavlovice used to stand originally near the crossing of the roads from Velké Pavlovice to Bořetice, also near water. At the crossroad there is a Baroque mansion of the Habsburg family (today´ s company Moravská Agra, a. s.) surrounded by a few ponds; a brook called Trkmanka was and still is flowing under the ponds. The statue was re-located in front of the church at the construction of the wine -producing factory in 1947.

Statue of Pieta

9 May Square, Velké Pavlovice

The statue of Pieta dates back to the year 1762; it is located in front of the church of Our Lady´ s Assumption on the right side from its door. It expresses Our Lady´ s pain over Jesus Christ´ s dead body after his crucifixion.

Neo-Renaissance Cemetery

9 May Square, Velké Pavlovice

There is a Neo-Renaissance cemetery documented in the year 1594 next to the Baroque church of Our Lady´ s Assumption. A very interesting cemetery gateway is worth seeing as well as a rotund dating back to 1590, and four corner rotund-shaped chapels. People are buried in this cemetery nowadays too.

Statue of Saint Florian

9 May Square, Velké Pavlovice

The statue of Saint Florian stands between the fire station and the headquarters of the fire brigade of Velké Pavlovice next to the cemetery by the road leading to the 9 May Square. But it was not so in the past. This statue was moved from the Main Street where it was originally located opposite the parsonage from 1899, when it was made. Saint Florian lived on the turn of the 3^rd and 4^th century, he was a colonel of the Roman army in Cetia. As an ardent Christian, he joined those who were imprisoned for their faith in Laureacum, as he desired a martyr´ s death. The judge was persuading him very long to give his Christian faith up. Afterwards, a rope with a stone was tied around his neck , and he was thrown down from the bridge to the river Enns.

Saint Florian is the patron saint of firemen, chimney-sweepers, and bricklayers. He is portrayed as a soldier in armor, with a sword and flag, usually with a pail, from which he is pouring water on the burning church at his feet. On his holiday it was prohibited to make fire and to fetch water, otherwise the settlement could be struck with disaster.

Town Hall

40 9 May Square, 691 06 Velké Pavlovice

The newly re-built Town Hall of the town of Velké Pavlovice with its surroundings is an embellishment not only of the 9 May Square, but also of the whole of the town. There is a fountain with benches in front of the state-of-the-art Town Hall ready for people to have a pleasant sitting rest.

Contribution Granary

Dlouhá (Long) Street, Velké Pavlovice

The biggest historic building in the town of Velké Pavlovice is a contribution granary. It was built in 1770 - 80 and used as a contribution granary for the whole domain of Velké Pavlovice (as far as Krumvíř). It is a five floor building capable of containing 156,000 to 182,000 British gallons of grain (approximately 250 railway wagons). There was a press room on the ground floor. The contribution granaries were built under Emperor Joseph II. They were supposed to collect the obligatory common supplies of grain (contributions) from all subject farmers for years of poor harvest. The granary burnt down in 1993, and then a new roof was made on the building.

These days, the granary is a part of a prepared project of the Moravian vintner center. Integral parts of the project should be a hotel, restaurant, congress hall, wine shop, and a tourist information center.

The granary can be found opposite the bus station.

Historic Cellars, Press Houses, and Presses

Stará (Old), Ořechová (Wallnut), V údolí (In the Valley) Streets, Velké Pavlovice

Cultural and historical sights incorporated in the national list of immobile cultural memorials – area of Velké Pavlovice: a

press house with a wooden historic press, the building dates back to the year 1817 – Old Street, reg. No. 249/1.

The press house in the Valley Street reg. No. 322 is built in the Baroque style. The character of the structure is mainly utilitarian. The press house is embellished with folk construction elements, impressive is also its gable frontage decorated with a traditional painted porch in the Moravian style. Inside the press house there is a historic wooden press.

Former Baroque Mansion

Nádražní (Station) Street, Velké Pavlovice

The Baroque mansion houses the headquarters of a company these days. It can be found at the crossing of the roads between Velké Pavlovice and Bořetice. Originally the building of the mansion was only a late Renaissance fortress, which was built up under the family of the Žampachs of Potstein in the 17^th century. After the Habsburgs obtained Pavlovice in 1762 (they were in possession of the town till 1918), the fortress was re-built into a Baroque mansion, later renovated. Behind the mansion, there were extensive gardens and a park with a few ponds and a beautiful summer house. The park was similar to the park in Lednice with its layout and character, but it was not so extensive. Of the original ponds, only one remained preserved along the road in the Station Street. In the place of the gardens and ponds there are football playgrounds and tennis courts nowadays.

The mansion became famous because of the date of 16^th July, 1866. On that day, about 400 cavalry and infantry came here, including the general staff of 1^st Prussian army with all officers, officials, war treasury, more than 60 officers, generals, and personally the crown prince of Prussia, prince Fridrich Karl of the House of Hohenzollern, commander of this army. The troops were distributed among the surrounding villages and farm owners. The highest ranks were accommodated in the chateau in Velké Pavlovice. They were provided with full board and the best lodgings there.

Pond near the Chateau

Nádražní (Station) Street, Velké Pavlovice

There were extensive gardens and a park with a few ponds and a beautiful summer house behind the Baroque mansion in Velké Pavlovice. The park was similar to the park in Lednice with its visual aspect and character, but it was not so extensive. Of the original ponds, only one remained preserved along the road in the Station Street. In the place of the gardens and ponds there are football playgrounds and tennis courts nowadays.

Tribute to Saint Rosalia

Nádražní (Station) Street, Velké Pavlovice

The Tribute to Saint Rosalia can be found at a siding crossing in the Station Street on the left side of the road in the direction of the villages called Velké Bílovice and Rakvice.

Saint Rosalia was born at the beginning of the 3^rd century in Nicomedia in the family of a rich merchant – an enemy of Christian faith. To protect Rosalia against Christianity, he had a tower built and furnished in a luxurious way, where his daughter was imprisoned by him. This tower is an attribute with which Saint Rosalia is the most frequently portrayed. One of the servants was a Christian, he converted Rosalia to the Christian faith and gave her a small cross. Father found Rosalia´ s cross and tried to divert his daughter from Christianity. After he had not succeeded, he handed Rosalia over to a judge. A woman called Juliana saw Saint Rosalia´ s torture, she appeared before the judge with sympathy for her and also confessed she was a Christian. At the very moment, Saint Rosalia´ s wounds heeled. Rosalia together with Juliana were tortured more and more cruelly. In the end, her own father cut off her head. Saint Rosalia is a symbol of faith and a virgin purity.

Tribute to Saint Anthony of Padua

Behind the town- direction to Bořetice, Velké Pavlovice

The town of Velké Pavlovice is characterized by a great number of crosses and small buildings of folk architecture. Among the best-known is also the Tribute to Saint Anthony of Padua, which is located behind Velké Pavlovice in the direction of the village of Bořetice on the right side of the road.

Saint Anthony of Padua was a friar and an ecclesiastical teacher. He became famous as a missionary in Italy. He would preach in the fields and squares (that is why the chapel stands in the middle of a field) where his impressive proclamations of the right Christian life were listened to by thousands of people. Anthony was not physically strong, and it was difficult for him to stand all hardships related to his missionary activity. He died on 13^th June , 1231, aged only 31.