Lysice

The township of Lysice is located in the eastern foothills of the Czech-Moravian Highlands, about 3 km to the west of the Brno-Svitavy road. Two transport routes pass through Lysice: one is from Road no. 43 to Kunštát na Moravě and Olešnice and the second leads from the same road to Nové Město na Moravě. Lysice lies at a height of 366 m above sea level. The number of inhabitants is 1915, while its cadastral area is 670 ha.

 The first written mention of Lysice as a settlement dates from 1308. It was raised to the status of a township with the right to hold four markets a year in 1652. The Rychvald Castle stood in the forest to the west of Lysice. The last mention of the castle dates from 1437. The seat of the Lysice estate was later based at a gothic water fortress which was gradually rebuilt as a spacious renaissance object. In 1960, the château passed to the administration of the State Heritage Office and it was subsequently renovated. It is now used as a cultural monument. It houses a valuable collection of old weapons, paintings, porcelain, furniture and the library of the Austrian writer Marie Ebner-Eschenbach. The château facility is connected to the château game reserve which spreads out over hilly terrain in an area of 60 ha to the north of the chateau. The game reserve has been equipped with stylised fencing and up to 200 head of deer were bred there. The state château is not only a highly significant dominant tourist feature, but it is also a venue for a number of cultural and social events, of which some have a very long tradition. The most significant cultural events, which exceed the bounds of the municipality, include the traditional holding of two concerts within the framework of the Concentus Moraviae international festival in association with the municipality.

The building of the primary school was built in the area of the château game reserve after the 2nd World War (the design was realised by the architect, Professor Fuchs MSc). On average, the school is attended by 520 children – of that, two thirds commute from the surrounding municipalities. There is also a kindergarten there which manages to fill its capacity of 65 children every year.

The Parish Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul dates from the 14th century. The first report dates from 1397. The rectory at the church dates from 1390. The significant dominant features of the town include the monument to the fallen from the 1st World War and the Marian Column in Liberation Square (náměstí Osvobození). The municipality’s largest companies include the Agricultural joint stock company which farms a total of 2076 ha of land. The municipality’s inhabitants usually commute to work. The main civic amenities include a shopping centre, a general practitioners’ surgery, a pharmacy, a post office, a savings bank branch, an outdoor swimming pool, a football ground, a skating rink and a number of small shops. The Sokolovna Hall, the library with its cultural room, the parish hall and the local restaurants all play a role in the municipality’s cultural, social and sports activities.