Hřbitov Medlice

Hřbitov Medlice is a historic village cemetery in Medlice, a small municipality in the Znojmo District of the South Moravian Region in the southern Czech Republic, close to the Austrian border. Modest in size, the cemetery nonetheless carries traces of a settlement history that stretches back to the earliest days of this part of Moravia.

Where does the name Medlice come from?

The village's name most likely derives from the personal name Medla, one of the early settlers or founders associated with the area. According to local tradition, a building known as Medlánka once stood nearby, on land referred to as "Nové Nivy" (New Fields). The original settlement on this site was destroyed following the Hungarian invasion of Great Moravia, and once the danger had passed, the surviving inhabitants founded a new village at the present location, giving it the name Medlice.

How far back does the village's history go?

Medlice appears in written records between 1273 and 1285, when a certain Ludvík of Medlice is mentioned. The village later became the property of the lords of Kunštát of Jevišovice. Like much of the region, it did not escape the turmoil of larger conflicts: during the Thirty Years' War, in 1645, Swedish troops harassed the local population for 26 weeks, forcing residents to hide in underground passages and catacombs — traces of which can still be found in the area today.

What does the cemetery itself look like?

Hřbitov Medlice has a distinctive trapezoidal layout, laid out on a slope, which is still visible in the arrangement of the grounds. Individual graves are set out mostly in regular rows, though part of the cemetery area remains unused to this day. The entrance is marked by two tall, rectangular pillars supporting a segmented arch topped with a cross, with an ornate two-winged metal gate hung between them.

What is notable about the cemetery's decoration?

As of January 2005, the cemetery still held a collection of valuable wooden crosses of folk craftsmanship — a feature that has since disappeared from the site. The grounds also include a ceremonial hall (ceremonial building), though it sees little use today. The cemetery as a whole is kept in very good condition and is listed in the Czech national heritage catalogue as a protected monument.

Is Hřbitov Medlice worth visiting?

This is not a major tourist attraction in the conventional sense, but for anyone interested in local history, funerary architecture, or genealogical research tied to the Znojmo region, it offers a worthwhile stop. The quiet, understated atmosphere of the cemetery, together with its preserved entrance gate and cross-topped arch, make it a pleasant short detour while exploring the area around Znojmo and the Czech-Austrian border region.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Hřbitov Medlice located? In the village of Medlice, in the Znojmo District of the South Moravian Region in the southern Czech Republic, near the border with Austria.

Is the cemetery a protected heritage site? Yes, the Medlice cemetery is listed in the Czech Heritage Catalogue (Památkový katalog) as a site of historical and architectural value.

What is distinctive about the cemetery entrance? Two tall pillars connected by a segmented arch topped with a cross, with an ornate two-winged metal gate hung between them.

Have the old wooden crosses survived? A collection of folk-style wooden crosses was still present as of January 2005, but it is no longer found on the cemetery grounds today.