Hrčava Explained

Hrčava
Settlement Type:Municipality
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Moravian-Silesian
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Frýdek-Místek
Pushpin Map:Czech Republic
Pushpin Relief:1
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates:49.52°N 18.8331°W
Established Title:First mentioned
Established Date:1645
Area Total Km2:2.89
Elevation M:605
Population As Of:2024-01-01
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:248
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:CET
Utc Offset1:+1
Timezone1 Dst:CEST
Utc Offset1 Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:739 98

Hrčava (Polish: {{Audio-nohelp|Herczawa.ogg|Herczawa, German: Hertschawa) is a municipality and village in Frýdek-Místek District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 200 inhabitants.

Geography

Hrčava is located about southeast of Frýdek-Místek and 49km (30miles) southeast of Ostrava, in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia. It is the second easternmost municipality of the country (after neighbouring Bukovec). The tripoint of the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia is located in the municipality.

Hrčava is situated in a hilly landscape of the Jablunkov Intermontane range. The highest point is on the slopes of the hill Na Dílech at 698m (2,290feet) above sea level.

History

The first written mention of Hrčava is from 1645 as Hertiava, when Hungarian fortifications were built here.[2] It was initially a hamlet administered by Jaworzynka, which belonged then to the Duchy of Teschen, a fee of Kingdom of Bohemia.

After World War I, Polish–Czechoslovak War and the division of Cieszyn Silesia in 1920, Jaworzynka with Hrčava became a part of Poland. In June 1921, Hrčava was temporarily annexed again to Czechoslovakia, but still was a part of Jaworzynka. In June 1924, it became a separate hamlet with a special legal status, administered by the district council. The municipality of Hrčava was established in October 1927.[2]

Following the Munich Agreement, in October 1938, together with the Trans-Olza region they were annexed by Poland, administratively adjoined to Cieszyn County of Silesian Voivodeship.[3] They were then annexed by Nazi Germany at the beginning of World War II. After the war it was restored to Czechoslovakia.

Transport

There are no railways or major roads passing through the municipality. On the Czech-Polish border is the pedestrian border crossing Hrčava / Jaworzynka.

Sights

The main landmark of Hrčava is the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius. It dates from 1936 and it is the youngest wooden church in the region.[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024. Czech Statistical Office. 2024-05-17.
  2. Web site: Trojmezí. Obec Hrčava. cs. 2022-06-30.
  3. Ustawa z dnia 27 października 1938 r. o podziale administracyjnym i tymczasowej organizacji administracji na obszarze Ziem Odzyskanych Śląska Cieszyńskiego. Dziennik Ustaw Śląskich. 18/1938, poz. 35. 1938-10-31. Katowice. 2014-07-01. pl.
  4. Web site: Dřevěný kostel sv. Cyrila a Metoděje v Hrčavě. CzechTourism. cs. 2022-06-30.