Archaeological area "Na Díle"
Modrá
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Archaeological area "Na Díle"
Explore the Historic “Na Díle” Archaeological Site! Discover the fascinating “Na Díle” archaeological area, where the uncovered foundations of an ancient church, unearthed in 1911, spark intrigue and debate among historians. Some experts believe this church dates back to the Iro-Scottish missions, predating the arrival of Saints Cyril and Methodius in the early 9th century. Others argue it belongs to the period of Cyril and Methodius themselves. Visitors can marvel at the reconstructed model of the entire church building, standing proudly next to the original foundations. This site offers a unique glimpse into the rich history and cultural heritage of the region.
Nestled on an elevation in the foothills of the picturesque Chřiby Mountains, this national cultural monument is a must-visit. Located just 4 km northwest of Staré Město and near the charming village of Modrá, the site lies along an ancient trade route that once connected Central Moravia with the Vyškov region.
What can you visit here?
It was filmed about the Archaeological locality
Information from history
HISTORY OF THE LOCATION
One of the most significant archaeological finds in our region is the first discovery of a Great Moravian stone building. Unearthed here are the foundations of a charming small church, featuring a rectangular, elongated chancel and four supports in the nave. This remarkable site offers a unique glimpse into our rich historical heritage.
Archaeological area “Na Díle”
he foundation masonry of the local church was discovered in 1911 by Jan Nevěřil, professor of the Divinity Faculty in Olomouc. He managed to uncover a continuous floor plan of the building, which he described as a church from the “early Christianity in Moravia”. However, this dating seemed too bold at the beginning of the 20th century. Only a revision research carried out in 1953-1954 by archaeologist Vilém Hrubý from the Moravian Museum in Brno confirmed Nevěřil’s hypothesis. During the research, the entire floor plan of the church and the surrounding skeletal burial ground were uncovered again. On the basis of the grave finds, we can date the construction of the church and the beginning of burials to the early to first third of the 9th century. It is therefore one of the oldest church buildings in Moravia. The smaller church was built of sandstone rubble masonry joined with mortar. It had a rectangular plan with a rectangular end. Four supports were built into the church, the function of which cannot be precisely determined. The walls of the church were plastered and painted: inside with several shades of colour, outside with grey-brown paint. Around the church, 40 skeleton graves dating from the first half of the 9th to the middle of the 10th century were also excavated.
Those buried here belonged to the common people of the settlement, as well as members of the Great Moravian nobility. Their status is evidenced by the accompanying grave inventory: buttons (ornaments and clasps of the shawl), iron spurs or ornamental arms (belt ends) influenced by Eastern (Avar) artistic motifs and Western (Carolingian) influence. Among the unique finds is a pendant with an ancient gem, i.e. a jewel made of cut precious stone.
After the demise of Great Moravia in the early 10th century, the church was probably abandoned, but settlement in the village below continued. At the beginning of the 13th century, the “empty and deserted” building became the property of the Cistercian order, which founded a (Velehrad) monastery nearby. It was probably then that the church was repaired and the tower was built. Until the consecration of the Velehrad basilica, the church was used as a so-called “provisional church”. The church finally disappeared at the beginning of the 1780s. The building material was then used, for example, for the construction of stone cellars, outbuildings or paving the inn yard in the village of Modrá.
In 1999-2000, a hypothetical reconstruction of the Great Moravian church was built in Modrá, located in close proximity to the archaeologically investigated foundations of the church.
Source: www.slovackemuzeum.cz
Where to get tourist information?
Contacts
Since the villages of Modrá and Velehrad are in close proximity, we provide here the contacts to the Archeological Open-air Museum Modrá as well as to the Tourist Centre in Velehrad.
Memorial of Great Moravia - Cyril and Methodius Centre
Jezuitská 1885, Staré Město, 686 03
tel. +420 572 543 382
e-mail: pamatnik@slovackemuzeum.cz
web: www.slovackemuzeum.cz
Moravian Slovakia Museum
Smetanovy sady 179, 686 01 Uherské Hradiště
tel. +420 572 556 556
e-mail: info@slovackemuzeum.cz
web: www.slovackemuzeum.cz
Velehrad Tourist Centre
Salašská 328, 687 06 Velehrad
tel. 723 984 080
e-mail: ticvelehrad@email.cz
web: www.velehrad.cz
How to get to Modra?
The village of Modrá near Velehrad can be reached by car on the road from Staré Město. The roads are well marked, so there is no problem to reach the destination. There is a free parking lot for visitors.
Tips for accommodation?
- Hotel Skanzen, Modrá 227, 687 06 Modrá
- Hunting pub, Modrá 219, 687 06 Modrá
- Pilgrimage home Stojanov, Salašská 62 687 06 Velehrad
- Velehrad House of Saints Cyril and Methodius, U Lípy 302, 687 06 Velehrad
- Stojan's Grammar School Velehrad, Domov mládeže, Nádvoří 1, 687 06 Velehrad
- VEGA centrum, Salašská 63, 687 06 Velehrad
