The region announced a competition for a new design of the Mikulčice Archaeopark

Mikulčice (Hodonín Region) - The South Moravian Region today announced an architectural competition to create a new form of the archeopark in Mikulčice near Hodonín. It resembles the settlement of Valy, which was one of the largest centers of Great Moravia. The plan includes the modification of the entire complex consisting of excavations, the ruins of local churches, and the buildings where the most valuable findings are exhibited. Proposals for the modification of the archeopark can be sent to the regional office until June 18, said its employee Jiří Klement today.
    According to experts, Mikulčice is so unique that it deserves to be listed among UNESCO World Heritage sites. Whether it will be included on the list of these unique locations will be decided this summer.
    The costs for the modernization of the entire Mikulčice complex have not yet been estimated. However, they will amount to tens of millions of crowns. The construction of a new archaeological base will cost 25 million crowns. The original building was destroyed by fire years ago due to a technical fault in the electrical wiring.
    According to the competition's terms of reference, the goal of the modifications is not only to modernize the area but also to improve the outdoor exhibition featuring numerous remnants of the Great Moravian settlement and to strengthen national identity.
    In the future, there are plans to connect Mikulčice and the neighboring Slovak Kopčany, where a Great Moravian church stands - one of the oldest Christian temples in Central Europe. The Morava River divides the two locations. A footbridge for tourists will span it within two years. This will create a Moravian-Slovak archeopark Mikulčice-Kopčany.
    The settlement of Valy was one of the most important centers of Great Moravia. It consists of a fortified settlement with outer fortifications and an adjacent residential agglomeration. The main fortification rises nearly seven meters above the surrounding terrain. According to legends, the apostles Cyril and Methodius worked there. In 1962, the settlement was declared a national cultural monument.