History
Branka u Opavy was first mentioned in 1257, when the municipality was part of the Hradec estate. The local chronicle of Branka u Opavy is described as the oldest chronicle in the rural area around Opava; its compilation was begun by Chaplain Jan Chovanec in 1842. The first written mention of the mill in Branka dates from 1339. The old water mill is listed as a sight in Branka u Opavy and the surrounding area.
In the centre of the village stands the larger Chapel of the Holy Trinity, which was consecrated on 11 June 1843. Its new bell, named “Václav Jan”, has been rung since 15 October 1944. Also in the centre of Branka, a memorial to the victims of the First World War was unveiled on 28 October 1923. An hourglass motif on this memorial symbolises the transience of life. In this way, various historical points of reference meet in the villagescape – from the medieval first mention through the history of the mill to the memorials of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Landscape
Branka u Opavy lies in an approximately 300-metre-wide valley of the Moravice, which runs from north to south and lies between the foothills of the Nízký Jeseník. To the west, the valley near Branka u Opavy is bordered by the Hanuše ridge, which reaches 427 metres. The eastern boundary is formed by Branecký kopec, at 376 metres, also called Branská hůrka. From the surroundings of Branka u Opavy, there are views across the fertile Opava Lowland; Praděd and the Jeseníky ridge are visible on the western horizon.
Activities
The landscape is connected by marked cycling routes. Marked cycling route 6055 leads from Branka u Opavy via Chvalíkovice and Vršovice to Raduň and connects to route 551 in Branka. Cycle route 551 from Opava to Hradec nad Moravicí passes through Branka u Opavy and is used by cyclists as well as inline skaters.
The Výletiště leisure area has children's play equipment and recreational facilities. It also features a covered wooden pavilion with seating, a facility for charging electronic devices, a bicycle pump, and an outdoor fire pit. Another sports facility is the Branka u Opavy pump track: it is a closed, artificially constructed circuit with bumps and banked turns that can be ridden without pedalling. On 15 June 2024, the 4th edition of the “Pumpuj Branku” race, described as traditional, took place as part of Branka u Opavy Municipality Day.
Events
The local events calendar includes various cultural formats. The Branský Literature Festival is a literary and musical festival in Branka u Opavy; its eighth edition took place on Saturday, 8 June 2024, from 4 p.m. in the Czech-Polish Friendship Pavilion. The association Spolek pro děti ZŠ a MŠ Branka u Opavy continues in the municipality a tradition of events for children that has existed for more than ten years. The summer cinema in Branka u Opavy is also a traditional film screening that attracts visitors from other places in addition to local residents.
For further comparisons with places at the same regional level, you can also open Mladecko, Dobroslavice, Kobeřice Ve Slezsku, Opava, Kozmice, Mikolajice, Velké Hoštice and Mokré Lazce.
