The village of Rakvice (German: Rakwitz) is located in the district of Břeclav in the South Moravian Region. Approximately 2,200 inhabitants live here. Rakvice is an important wine-growing center belonging to the Velkopavlovice wine-growing sub-region. There are a number of wineries and smaller family wineries in the village.
Church of St. John the Baptist – Originally the chapel of St. Ondřeje
built sometime between 1310 and 1346. In 1503 the chapel was elevated to
a parish church. In 1605, the Bočkajovci church was burned down, only
the tower and bare walls remained. The church was restored in the second
half of the 17th century (the purchase contract for the sale of the
Hodonín estate from 1692 mentions that the church has already been
restored) and was subsequently dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Due to
the small capacity, the church was expanded in 1875. The height of the
tower including the mine is 33.66 m.
Statue of St. John of Nepomuck –
Work of sculptor Tomáš Schweigl from 1775, purchased at the expense of
the municipality 40 guilders and Jan Březina 45 guilders.
Baroque
Cross - Missionary Cross from 1803 with cryptogram.
The name evolved from the variant Raekwitz (1248), Rakuuiz (1292), Vrakbicz, Vkrawicz (1354), Oerakwicz (1357), Verekwicz (1358), Vrkwicz (1414), Rakwicz (1447, 1558), Rakwicze (1609), Rakwitz (1633. The naming is feminine, the number is plural, the genitive is Rakvic.
Prehistoric and Early Settlement (up to 13th century)
Archaeological evidence shows Slavic settlement in the area
(slightly closer to the Dyje River than the current village centre)
dating back to prehistoric times, confirmed by finds of Slavic
ceramics. This settlement persisted until around the 13th century.
The name “Rakvice” (originally meaning something like “village of
the Rakoví people” or derived from a personal name) evolved through
variants such as Raekwitz (1248), Rakuuiz (1292), Vrakbicz/Vkrawicz
(1354), and later forms like Rakwicz (1447) before standardising in
the modern Czech spelling.
First Written Records and Medieval
Period (1248–15th century)
The first documented mention appears
on 6 November 1248, when Prince Ulrich III of Carinthia donated four
farms (in Raekwitz) to the Templar commandery in nearby Čejkovice.
Ownership changed hands repeatedly in the following centuries.
Between 1430 and 1434 a chapel of St. Andrew was built (some sources
date related construction or upgrades to 1487, when locals
reportedly erected it because they could not easily reach the church
in Podivín “for water”). A cemetery was added at the chapel in 1498.
Rakvice remained administratively tied to Podivín until 1503, when
the chapel was elevated to a parish church. By the end of the 15th
century the village passed into the hands of the Lords of Lipé (páni
z Lipého).
16th–17th centuries: Religious Turmoil, Market
Town Status, and the Thirty Years’ War
In 1540 Hussites settled
in Rakvice. By 1582 the Catholic curate had left and was replaced by
a curate of the Czech (Bohemian) Brethren. The settlement gained
market-town (oppidum) status no later than 1604, reflected in the
municipal seal bearing the year and the crab emblem.
The early
17th century brought disaster. In 1605 troops under Štěpán Bočkaj
plundered the village and burned the church (leaving only the tower
and walls). The Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) devastated Rakvice
further through repeated invasions (Bočkaj’s forces and Hungarian
troops). Pre-war there were 101 peasant farms and roughly 510
inhabitants; by 1648 the population had plummeted to about 180, and
the settlement lost its market-town privileges, reverting to village
status. Only 31 farms survived the conflict.
Recovery was slow.
In the second half of the 17th century the church was enlarged, the
tower restored or rebuilt, and a bell cast in 1668. A 1692 purchase
agreement for the Hodonín estate records the restoration of the
church and school. By 1716 the village had 718 inhabitants living in
105 peasant and 48 subsidiary households. Multiple coin hoards
discovered in Rakvice (the famous 1886 “Rakvice Treasure” of ~3,000+
coins from the early 12th century; a 15th-century gold ducat cache;
17th-century silver and thalers) testify to the area’s trade
importance and repeated periods of insecurity.
18th–19th
centuries: Imperial Ownership, Infrastructure, and Crises
In 1762
Emperor Francis I purchased the Hodonín estate, incorporating
Rakvice into Habsburg crown lands. Houses were numbered in 1777. On
24 May 1788 village representatives, led by reeve Jan Cabal,
formally confirmed the Josephine cadastre. Population grew from 928
in 1793 to 1,172 in 1840.
Cultural landmarks appeared: the
sandstone statue of St. John of Nepomuk (1775, by sculptor Tomáš
Schweigl) and a Baroque wayside cross (1803). The Church of St. John
the Baptist (originally the St. Andrew chapel) received its present
form after major 1875 rebuilding—extension of the nave, new chancel,
sacristy, uniform windows, and choir loft.
The Břeclav–Brno
railway opened in 1839, but Rakvice only gained its own stop in 1886
after the municipality contributed 600 gold pieces. In 1866 a
Prussian garrison during the Austro-Prussian War introduced a
cholera epidemic that killed 146 villagers between August and
September; the local cemetery overflowed, forcing burials at a
remote site. Viticulture remained central to the economy throughout.
20th century: Peak Population, Tragedy, and World Wars
Rakvice reached its historical population peak of 2,403 in 1930. A
new municipal school opened in 1932. On 26 May 1936 a catastrophic
school excursion ended in disaster: while crossing the Dyje River by
punt at Nové Mlýny (near Přítluky) during a trip to the Pálava
hills, the overloaded ferry sank, drowning 31 of 52 children.
Memorials stand in the Rakvice cemetery and at the site (the latter
erected under T. G. Masaryk’s auspices).
The village was
liberated by the Red Army on 15 April 1945. Monuments now honour
victims of both World Wars and the Holocaust. Post-war population
stabilised around 2,000–2,300. A modern school and other
infrastructure developed, while wine production continued to define
local identity.
Modern Era and Cultural Heritage
Rakvice
today is a prosperous wine village with numerous family wineries and
larger producers (e.g., Vinselekt Michlovský). Its vineyards benefit
from the local microclimate, producing notable varieties such as
Veltliner (with linden notes) and Chardonnay (tropical fruit
aromas). The village maintains several protected cultural monuments:
the Church of St. John the Baptist (registered monument), the 1775
St. John Nepomuk statue, the 1803 Baroque cross, wayside crosses, a
Calvary, and war memorials.
Highway D2 and road II/425 pass through the territory of the
municipality in the Hustopeče - Břeclav section. Road III also leads
here. classes:
III/42113 Velké Pavlovice - Velké Bílovice
III/42115 from road III/42113 via Rakvice to Přítluky
III/42116
(Square)
III/42226 Freak - Casket
Autonomy
Petr Vajbar
served as mayor from the beginning of the 1990s. At the founding meeting
of the council in November 2014, Radek Průdek (Sdružení pro Rakvice) was
elected to this position.
Rakvice is a small municipality and village located in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic, specifically within the Břeclav District. It lies in the Lower Morava Valley, a fertile lowland area that forms part of the broader Morava River Basin. Geographically, Rakvice is positioned approximately 12 kilometers north of the town of Břeclav and 40 kilometers south of Brno, the regional capital. Its coordinates are 48°51′29″N 16°48′48″E. The village covers an area of about 15.5 square kilometers and is situated in a transitional zone between the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands to the north and the Pannonian Plain influences to the south, contributing to its predominantly agricultural character. This location places it in one of the warmest and most fertile parts of the Czech Republic, ideal for viticulture and farming.
The terrain of Rakvice is predominantly flat, typical of the lowland valleys in South Moravia. It features wide, open plains with gentle undulations, lacking significant hills or mountains, which aligns with the regional composition where plains, plateaus, and valleys make up about 51% of the Morava River Basin. The landscape is heavily shaped by human activity, dominated by expansive agricultural fields, vineyards, and orchards. This flat relief facilitates easy accessibility and has historically supported intensive farming. In broader terms, the area transitions from the hilly Bohemian-Moravian Highlands to the north into the flatter lowlands influenced by the Danube Basin to the south. Notable landscape elements include patchwork fields of crops like wheat, corn, and sunflowers, interspersed with rows of grapevines, reflecting its position in the Velkopavlovická wine subregion. The overall scenery is rural and open, with minimal forested areas, emphasizing cultivated land over natural wilderness.
Rakvice sits at an average elevation of 164 meters (538 feet) above sea level, which is relatively low compared to the more elevated regions of the Czech Republic, such as the Bohemian Highlands or the Sudetes. This low elevation contributes to the area's mild topography and susceptibility to flooding in river valleys, though modern water management mitigates much of this risk. The surrounding Lower Morava Valley maintains similar elevations, generally below 200 meters, fostering a stable environment for agriculture without the challenges of steep slopes or high-altitude climates.
The climate in Rakvice is classified as temperate continental, influenced by its lowland position in South Moravia, one of the warmest regions in the Czech Republic. Summers are typically warm to hot, with average July temperatures around 20–22°C (68–72°F), while winters are moderately cold, with January averages hovering between -1°C and -3°C (30–26°F). Annual precipitation is moderate, ranging from 500–600 mm, with most rainfall occurring in the summer months. This climate is conducive to viticulture, as the area benefits from a longer growing season and ample sunshine—often exceeding 1,800 hours annually—due to its southern exposure and protection from colder northern winds by the highlands. Frost-free periods extend from mid-April to mid-October, supporting the cultivation of heat-loving crops like grapes. Climate change impacts, such as increasing temperatures and variable rainfall, are noted in the region, potentially enhancing wine production but also raising concerns about drought.
Hydrologically, Rakvice is defined by the Trkmanka River, a small waterway that flows through the municipality, contributing to local irrigation and drainage. This river is a tributary within the larger Morava River system, which ultimately feeds into the Danube. The area is also rich in artificial and natural water bodies, including numerous fishponds that dot the landscape, remnants of historical water management practices for aquaculture and flood control. These ponds enhance biodiversity, supporting fish species like carp and providing habitats for waterfowl. Groundwater resources are abundant due to the valley's alluvial deposits, aiding agriculture. The flat terrain and proximity to the Morava River (about 10–15 km east) mean occasional influences from river flooding, though dikes and reservoirs in the region help regulate water levels.
Soils in Rakvice are predominantly fertile chernozems, characterized by their dark, rich organic content and high productivity, common in the drier lowland areas of Moravia. These soils are formed from loess deposits and alluvial materials, offering excellent drainage and nutrient retention, which underpin the area's agricultural dominance. In wetter spots near rivers and ponds, alluvial soils prevail, while occasional podzols appear in slightly elevated or forested patches, though these are minimal. Vegetation is largely anthropogenic, with cultivated vineyards and crop fields replacing natural grasslands. Native flora includes steppe-like grasses and herbs in uncultivated areas, with scattered deciduous trees such as oaks and poplars along watercourses. The region's biodiversity is moderate, focused on agricultural ecosystems, with efforts to preserve wetland habitats around the fishponds.
Rakvice's geography lacks dramatic natural features like mountains or caves but is notable for its integrated cultural-natural landscape, particularly the extensive vineyards that cover much of the surrounding terrain, forming part of the South Moravian wine trails. The fishponds represent a key environmental asset, promoting wetland ecosystems in an otherwise farmed area. The village lies within the broader Pálava Protected Landscape Area influence to the south, known for limestone hills and diverse flora, though Rakvice itself is flatter. Environmental concerns include soil erosion from intensive farming and water quality in the Trkmanka due to agricultural runoff. Overall, the geography supports a sustainable mix of agriculture and eco-tourism, with cycling paths traversing the flat valleys and connecting to nearby natural reserves.