In Uherské Hradiště, a new Rochus Open-Air Museum has been opened

Uherské Hradiště - A new Rochus Open-Air Museum was ceremoniously opened today in Uherské Hradiště, offering exhibits of traditional folk architecture from various periods, ranging from the end of the 19th century to the mid-20th century. Visitors will find around 1,000 collection items, said Jan Blahůšek, director of the non-profit organization Park Rochus, to ČTK.

The construction of the buildings was completed last autumn. Alongside the historical barn from Břestek, which was moved to Rochus in 2012, three replicas of actual buildings have been added - a farmstead from Boršice, a smaller agricultural building from Veletiny, and an above-ground wine-making structure from Tučapy.

The project cost around 30 million crowns, with approximately 25 million provided by a European grant. After the completion of the buildings, the museum filled the spaces with exhibits. According to Blahůšek, items were acquired as gifts from people or purchased at auctions, while a fraction of the total was produced based on originals from the collections of the Slovácké museum.

The oldest items from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries can be seen in the building from Veletiny, the 1930s are represented by the Boršice farmstead, and the wine-making building from Tučapy showcases the 1950s. The objects on display include items commonly used in households, including original chandeliers and tiled stoves, as well as various agricultural tools used, for example, in wine production.

"We tried to ensure that the exhibits were based on professional grounds. The items installed in the various buildings should correspond to the selected time periods. Many items were acquired, restored, and preserved for use in the buildings. However, not everything could be sourced from the field, so we produced replicas," Blahůšek said.

A new administrative building has been constructed, which includes a ticket office, restrooms, a conference room, and space for guides and maintenance. The museum will be open from Thursday to Sunday in May and October, and from Tuesday to Sunday during the main season from June to September. Admission for adults is 60 crowns, for children aged six to 15 and seniors 40 crowns. A family ticket costs 90 crowns.

It is planned that the museum will further expand, although there is currently no new project prepared for additional buildings. However, the museum has a proposal to relocate a smaller barn from Hradčovice and is currently seeking funds for this project.

Uherské Hradiště began revitalizing the former training ground on Rochus Hill in 2010, when orchards of traditional Slovácké varieties were planted here. A year earlier, the city renovated the Chapel of Saint Roch, and later the pathways and other infrastructure. Due to the presence of rare plants and animals, the area is included in the Natura 2000 network. According to Blahůšek, about 500 trees have been planted in the area over the last six years, with more to be added this year.