Horní Předměstí (Valašské Meziříčí) Settlement

Welcome to the heart of the Valachian Mezirich. You're standing right here in a place called Upper Suburb. If you look around now, perhaps the first impression will surprise you. You see a space that is now heavily influenced by modern times. They dominate high panel houses and wide road roads that determine the rhythm of today's city. It's an environment that's functional and urban, but underneath this layer of modernity, there's a deep history that goes far ahead, to a time when everything looked completely different.

Stop for a second and let's try to get through time together. Imagine you're standing on the left bank of the Rozhnov Bečva River. It was here, in the space before the city walls themselves, that the Upper Suburb began to emerge. It was an area that developed gradually since the Middle Ages. At that time there were no concrete structures, but rather a series of houses that formed a natural transition between the wilderness, the river and the fortified centre of the city. People lived here, traded and built their homes on the streets known today as Sokolská, Kralove, Nová, Vsetín and Žerotín. It was a lively neighborhood that breathed the spirit of crafts and neighborly assistance.

Now, if you look around you, look at the atmosphere of this place. Although most of the historical buildings have disappeared, there are still traces that tell us the story of how the city changed. The biggest change came in the 1970s. At that time, there was a large reconstruction that led to the removal of most of the old houses. What you see today is the result of the time when there was a new solution for the housing of thousands of people. It's a fascinating contrast between what was and what was left.

Let us now focus on the rarest jewels that have survived in this area. One of the most important points is the Church of the Holy Trinity. This building dates back to the 16th century. Imagine how many ages and events this temple has seen. He stood here at a time when the city had just been formed, survived the storm of history and still stands as a silent witness to the past. Notice his presence in space, it's a fixed point that connects today's modern suburb to its ancient roots.

Now let's focus on Vsetín Street. It was here in the years of a thousand nine hundred and nine to a thousand nine hundred and ten that a deaf-mute institution was built. This building is not only an architectural element, but above all a symbol of aid and education. Imagine those people coming from different corners of the county to learn how to communicate with the world. It's a place where personal fates intersect with the history of welfare in our region.

If we continue our research, we'll find another fascinating place. In the year one thousand nine hundred twenty-nine there was an old observatory. It's a place for dreamers and explorers who looked at the stars at a time when astronomy was perceived with great wonder. Interestingly enough, the town observatory is next to her. This set of buildings shows us that Upper Suburb was not only a place of residence, but also a centre of science and knowledge.

Now, if we thought about the fate of this place, we would encounter some kind of nostalgia. Upper Suburb has long been seen as a separate whole, with its own character and identity. This lasted up to a year of a thousand nine hundred seventy-four when its separate cadastral territory was abolished. With this act, the administrative link with other parts of the city has been established, but it remains a particularly important neighborhood in the memory of the elderly as well as in historical records.

Let's try to stop at one interesting thing now, which may not be visible at first sight, but it's important to understand the whole space. Notice how strategically this area is located. The fact that it was built outside the walls on the left bank of the river meant that there were people living here who were in contact with the river but also in a safe vicinity of the city centre. The river Bečva was a lifeblood that brought trade and energy, and the Upper Suburb was the gate where new signs and new people entered the city.

It may be strange to admit that today in this space we are looking for history among the panel houses. But that's the secret of this place. It's like reading a book from which some pages have been ripped out, but there are still bright and strong images left. The church, the institute for deaf-mute and observatory are like these remaining pages that allow us to reconstruct the image of the old suburb in mind.

If you look around now, imagine what those old houses would look like in the streets of Sokolsky or Žerotín. Imagine the sound of horse cars on the pram, the smell of old wood and stone and the hangers of the people who took the morning sacrifice to the Church of the Holy Trinity. It is a fascinating game with imagination, when modern concrete in our eyes begins to turn into a historic building.

Now that you've met the spirit of Upper Suburb, I suggest you go through the surroundings in peace. Feel the contrast between old and new. Take a look at the details of the buildings left behind, and see if you can find a trace of the time when this place was at the heart of the development of the Wallachian Mezirich.

Thank you for accompanying me on this short journey through time. I hope you felt the depth of this place, which is much more than just a set of modern buildings. It is a place with a memory that still lives in several selected buildings and in the very flow of the River Bečva. I wish you a pleasant further walk through the city and many new discoveries. Goodbye.