Moravia
Historical region in eastern Czech Republic, former margraviate and crown land.
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Moravia (Czech: Morava; German: Mähren) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, one of the country’s three historic Czech lands, along with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. From 1348 to 1918, it was a crown land of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown; from 1004 to 1806, an imperial state of the Holy Roman Empire; from 1804 to 1867, a crown land of the Austrian Empire; and from 1867 to 1918, part of Austria-Hungary. In 1918, it became one of the five lands of the newly founded Czechoslovakia. It was merged with Czech Silesia in 1928 and dissolved in 1948, when the land system was abolished after the communist coup.
Covering 22,623.41 square kilometers, Moravia is home to about 3.0 million of the Czech Republic’s 10.9 million people. Its inhabitants are historically called Moravians, a subgroup of Czechs (the other being Bohemians). The region takes its name from the Morava River, which flows from north to south and is its main waterway. The largest city and historical capital is Brno. Before the Swedish army sacked it during the Thirty Years’ War, Olomouc served as the capital; it remains the seat of the Archdiocese of Olomouc. Until the expulsions after 1945, significant parts of Moravia were German-speaking.
The region’s Czech name, Morava, comes from its principal river. The German name, Mähren, derives from the river’s German name, March, which may have a different origin—"march" was a medieval term for a border territory. In Latin, it was called Moravia.
Geographically, Moravia occupies most of eastern Czech Republic. Its territory is naturally defined by the Morava River basin, with mountains to the west (forming part of the main European continental divide) and east, where all rivers rise. It holds a special position in Central Europe: the highlands run west–east, creating a filter that makes north–south travel difficult. Only Moravia, with a 14–40 kilometer wide depression of the westernmost Outer Subcarpathia between the Bohemian Massif and the Outer Western Carpathians, offers a comfortable link between the Danubian and Polish regions. This made it important for migration routes of large mammals, especially during prehistoric seasonal shifts.
Moravia borders Bohemia to the west, Lower Austria to the southwest, Slovakia to the southeast, Poland to the north (a short stretch), and Czech Silesia to the northeast. Its natural boundaries are the
- area
- 22,623.41 km2
- population
- about 3.0 million
- capital
- Brno (historical capital); Olomouc was earlier capital before being sacked in the Thirty Years' War
- principal river
- Morava
- highest peak
- Praděd (1491 m)
- lowest point
- 148 m at the confluence of the Morava and Thaya rivers
Lore & Background
Moravia takes its name from the Morava river, which runs from north to south as its principal watercourse. The region's natural boundaries include the Sudetes mountains in the north, the Carpathians in the east, and the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands in the west. Its core geomorphological features are three wide valleys: the Dyje-Svratka Valley, the Upper Morava Valley, and the Lower Morava Valley. The highest mountains are in Hrubý Jeseník, with Praděd at 1491 m. The region's border closely follows the watershed of the Morava river, so almost the entire area is drained by that single stream.
Reader's Guide
Moravia's significance lies in its role as a historical crown land and its strategic position in Central Europe. The depression of the westernmost Outer Subcarpathia, 14–40 kilometers wide between the Bohemian Massif and the Outer Western Carpathians, provided a comfortable connection between the Danubian and Polish regions, making it important for migration routes of large mammals and human settlement. Evidence of human presence dates back more than 600,000 years, with notable Paleolithic sites including the Venus of Dolní Věstonice, the oldest ceramic figure in the world. The region was part of the Roman frontier during the Marcomannic Wars, with a Roman fortress at Mušov. Moravia's legacy includes its German-speaking population until expulsions after 1945, and its modern role as part of the Czech Republic, containing the South Moravian and Zlín regions, most of the Olomouc Region, and parts of several others.
Did You Know?
- Moravia's name comes from the Morava river; its German name Mähren may derive from the medieval term 'march' for a border territory.
- The Venus of Dolní Věstonice, the oldest ceramic figure in the world, was found in Moravia.
- Moravia's highest peak is Praděd at 1491 m, located in the Hrubý Jeseník mountains.
- Until expulsions after 1945, significant parts of Moravia were German speaking.
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