Location

The wine growing village of Strachotín is situated on the northern bank of the Nové Mlýny reservoirs about 15 km north of Mikulov.

History

The village belongs to the old residential areas of this region. The most important archaeological site was the Petrova louka meadow, which unfortunately disappeared beneath the surface of the Nové Mlýny water works. The first written mention of the village is from 1046. In 1334 Hartmann of Liechtenstein gained the Děvičky castle, whose part was also Strachotín. From the early 15th century when the town of Strachotín was fortified, it belonged to the Mikulov estate. In 1582, Emperor Rudolf II granted to Strachotín the right to hold two fairs and a weekly market. In the 16th century Strachotín was an important centre of Anabaptists. Written reports show that there were many craftsmen among them. In 1619, on the meadows between Strachotín and Dolní Věstonice, Moravian revolutionary Estates defeated the imperial troops of General Dampierre.

Sights

Important architectural monuments in the village include the church of St. Ulrich from the 13th century, which is one of the oldest Gothic churches in the region of Břeclav. The parish building dates from the late 18th century. In the middle of the village square in front of the school stands a statue of the patron of fire fighters, St. Florian. The wayside shrine by the turn of the road to Popice also enjoys the protection of a listed building.
South of the village a significant archaeological site of the Petrova louka meadow could be found, which is now under the water of the Nové Mlýny reservoirs. The construction of the Great Moravian memorial in the village is related to the valuable findings from the period of Great Moravia.

Nature

Strachotín lies on the edge of the Dyje floodplain that was - with the exception of the Strachotínský rybník pond (about 40 ha) - flooded by the middle and lower reservoirs of the Nové Mlýny system. Vast areas of floodplain forests, meadows and wetlands ceased to exist here. The middle reservoir has become an important stopover for bird migration moves, as well as a noteworthy nesting site; the place was declared a nature reserve called Věstonická nádrž reservoir. Until recently remains of halophytic vegetation with sea plantain occurred near the Popický potok stream.