Bartovice Settlement

Welcome to Bartovice. Stop for a second and look around you. You're standing in a place that's very strange these days. Even if you are in the heart of the industrial region, in Ostrava itself, you probably feel that you have moved somewhere else entirely. Notice the calm and atmosphere surrounding you. In front of you is an installation that, despite the pressure of the great city and the proximity of the factories, has maintained its original character as a village. Look at the individual houses, the locations and how naturally they fit into the landscape. It is indeed a rare phenomenon that in such industrialized surroundings survived a place with the appearance of a small village with individual houses.

Now let's look deeper into the past together to understand how this painting happened. Bartovice has a very long history that goes way beyond the emergence of a modern city. The first written mention of this place dates back to the year three hundred and five. At that time, in the roster of the tithes of the Vrocław bishop's office, the area was listed as Bertoltowitz. Imagine what this place looked like over 700 years ago. It was probably a small settlement in the bosom of nature where life rhymed the sunrise and sunset and seasons.

When we think about how Bartovice evolved, we find that agriculture dominated for centuries. People here have grown some land, kept animals and lived in harmony with the landscape. This village lies at an altitude between two hundred fifty and two hundred seventy metres, giving it a pleasant position over the valley of the local river. It is this link to land and water that has defined the identity of local people for many generations.

Over time, however, ownership of this country has changed. Historical records tell us about different people who had power here. In the year of a thousand and four hundred and eleven he sold Ješek Kornice Bartovice Ondřej z Tvorkov. Much later, in the year thousands of seven hundred thirty-eight, Bartovice and the other Radvanice came into the hands of František Skrubensky of the Game. These changes in owners are typical of the time when villages were often transferred as units between noble families or rich citizens.

Now that you see this atmosphere, pay attention to the development itself. Even if we don't find one particular monumental palace here, the whole village is a monument in its own way. Notice how the houses are located. Follow the street lines and the way the houses turn together. What you see is the result of centuries of organic growth. The agricultural character that we talked about began to slowly disappear in the early twentieth century. At that time, industry began to grow sharply in the area, which changed the face of the whole region. Bartovice, however, managed to preserve their face, which is why they are so fascinating today.

Now let's move on to the people and stories that are connected to this place. Bartovice is not only about houses and data, but especially about people. Among the personalities we associate with this place are Armin Delong or famous poet Petr Bezruč. It is not the hands that put the pain and suffering of the poor in this region into their works, and Bartovice is closely linked to these topics.

There is one very specific and sad story that may interest you. In the year of a thousand and eight hundred and ninety-five, a tragic event took place in a local pub called The Yashčurka. The Bardon family died here. This simple man, whose life was full of toil and bieda, became an inspiration for one of the poems of Peter Bezruč. When you walk the streets, try to imagine what the pub at the time looked like and what life was like for people like Bardon. It was a time of hard contrast between the wealth of industrial magnates and the total poverty of workers and families.

If we move forward in time, we run into the Second World War. Bartovice, like the rest of the neighborhood, went through dramatic events. On the second May of the year a thousand nine hundred forty-five, the territory was liberated by an army from the east. It was a turning point that marked the end of the dark days of the occupation, but at the same time it brought about new changes in state order.

An interesting break in the administrative life of the village was the year one thousand nine hundred sixty. The first January of this year, Bartovice was officially connected to Ostrava. This act made a separate village a local part of a large city. But it is fascinating that despite this connection with the metropolis, Bartovice has kept their village spirit. While concrete blocks and wide roads have emerged in other parts of the city, there are houses and a sense of community.

Stop now and let's ask ourselves why Bartovice is so special. Maybe it's the contrast. You're standing in a place where history from the year thousand and three hundred and five meets a modern industrial city. It is a place where traces of ancient agriculture meet with echoes of poems of poverty and hard work. It's a little island of peace in a sea of concrete and steel.

Look at the surrounding houses again. Feel the silence that exists here, and think about how many generations of people have lived here, worked in the fields, and later maybe went to nearby races. Each of these houses has its own story that is not written in official books, but in the memory of local families.

Bartovice reminds us that history is not only about great battles and kings, but also about small villages, people like Bardon, and how the landscape changes under the influence of time and economy. The fact that you are now offered the opportunity to see this development is a reminder of how important it is to protect the identity of your place.

Now I invite you to take your own walk. Go through the alleys, feel the rhythm of this place and try to connect everything you've just heard in your mind. Follow the details of the houses, observe the green, and look for traces of the old Barts that hide in every corner. Let your curiosity guide you and take a moment to reflect on how the small village of Bertoltowitz became today's part of Ostrava.

Thank you for your attention and I wish you a pleasant rest of the way to discover this unique corner of the Moravian-Silesian region. Enjoy your time in Bartovice and be inspired by their peace and history. Goodbye.