Tradycja wielkomorawska i cyrylo-metodiańska a współczesny krajobraz kulturowy Velehradu
The Great Moravian and Cyrillo-Methodian tradition and the contemporary cultural landscape of Velehrad

Summary/Abstract: The Czech Republic and Slovakia celebrated in 2013 the 1150th anniversary of the arrival of Saints Cyril and Methodius to the area of Great Moravia. This mission marked the formal beginning of Christianity in this part of Europe. Veligrad, known since the Middle Ages, was widely considered as a centre of missionary activity. The contemporary city of Velehrad is the heir of this rich past and related heritage. In the contemporary cultural landscape of Velehrad we can indicate different overlapping historical layers forming the unique character of the place: the times of the Great Moravian state, the location of the Cistercian monastery in the 13th century, the secularization of the property during the reign of Emperor Joseph I, the arrival of the Jesuits and their educational activity, the formation of national awareness and aspirations for self-determination in the mid-nineteenth century, connected with the birth of the pilgrimage tradition to Velehrad, the times of the communist regime and closure of the monastery, political changes after 1989 related with the return of the Jesuits, the visit of Pope John Paul II and the celebration of the year of Cyril and Methodius in 2013. All these events have left a material trace, as well as enriched the particular genius loci of this place. The 2013 celebration contributed towards turning Velehrad into a centre of dialogue between East and West. Modern exhibition spaces were created from renovated historic buildings. A key element was the creation of the European Cultural Route of Saints Cyril and Methodius and the connecting Velehrad with the network of pilgrimage routes to important spiritual centres of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and neighbouring countries (including Poland). The aim of these projects was to turn Velehrad into a place where both pilgrims and ordinary tourists will be able to enrich their experience and their knowledge, and thus be able to satisfy the need for self-realization.

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