Photo: Forgotten Osoblažsko. A unique jewel is preserved and sniffed

Osoblažský outcrop is a forgotten ocean. It belongs to the least populated areas of the Czech Republic, and people and companies do not care about it much, as unemployment has always been one of the highest rates in the country. The perimeter of this country was already under Austria-Hungary, and most Germans lived here, but after they were driven out after World War II, the area became a bit of a no-man’s land. Faced with this decline, twelve local municipalities and two cities have merged into the Osoblažsko Microregion district, focusing on their development and especially on support for tourism.

They have an unusual natural wilderness and also a rare railway line known as the Osoblažská Narrow Railway. This is the only narrow line on which the Czech Railways provides regular traffic. The fact that the tracks meander in the flat section is also unique – between Třemešná near Krnov and Osoblaha, they will make a hundred incredible bends, so that the thirteen kilometers between the two final sections exceeds twenty kilometers of the track. When they built it, it was alleged that they wanted to save as much as possible, so they tried to copy the terrain as much as possible.

The narrow railways have also won the hearts of many tourists with special events run here by the non-profit Silesian Railway Company. It organizes sightseeing tours by steam train or historic motorbike. But even this attraction is gradually diminishing. The station buildings were in poor condition, and instead of investing in them, the State Railways Administration began demolishing them.

The local villages of Osoblaha, Bohušov, Slezské Rudoltice and Lipta no longer wish to take this into account. They founded the nonprofit Osoblažská Narrow Railroad and set a goal to save this unique artistic monument as a whole. With generous help from the Moravian-Silesian region, they purchased railway stations and land from the state. It was decided to salvage and rebuild a total of five buildings for the station to restore its historical appearance. They have received generous European support of 1.1 million euros for the project, everything has been pre-funded with area funds and construction will start in early May 2021, and should be completed by the end of April 2022.

“The Osoblažská Path is an integral part of our region and our home. Therefore, we could not accept the unsatisfactory condition of the terminal buildings and we were looking for ways to turn the neglected route into a magnet for tourists from all over the country. Pargač with the fact that they have been striving to save real estate fifteen years ago. Years. “We would like to preserve the narrow railways with the terminals for future generations. We believe that with this contribution we will be able to revive this beautiful corner of the Moravian-Silesian region, “he hopes.

Even before this European project, the region funded the repair of the gate in Třemešná and the railway station in Slezské Rudoltice. Then the owner of the construction company that did the reconstruction paid, as a local patriot, the cost of the Amalien Station, which had to be rebuilt according to historical photos, because it was not preserved.

“The station buildings will become an ornament of the Osoblažsko region and will represent the region largely externally. It will also be another complement to the accompanying tourist infrastructure, which is still missing in the Osoblažsko region. Slezské zemské dráhy,” adds that its rebuilding, the houses on the line will become information centers and museums for tourists.

But there are more reasons, in addition to nature, it is, for example, the fortress of Silesia Rudoltis, nicknamed Silesian Versailles. In the 18th century, Karim knew him from all over Europe and loved visiting the palace. Its then owner Albert of Hoodies built Disneyland here for the gentry, full of holidays, culture and attractions (about this entertainment lover’s story Aktuálně.cz wrote by). The Jewish Cemetery in Osoblaz, the palace in Dívčí Hrad or Fulštejn, the largest former castle in Silesia, is also worth a visit.

The story of the rescue of the Osoblažská narrow railway, slowly coming to a good end after many years, inspired the Jeseníky rainbow movement, which tries for change to save the station buildings on the Olomouc – Krnov line, which are also in danger of demolition. Encouraged by this example, they can imagine a similar project here, which could also become a tourist attraction.

“The planned rescue of the Osoblažka railway station is evidence that the old railway stations do not belong to the demolition, but can be saved and find new uses for them. But it is necessary to work actively, not just sit, look the window and wait, as they unfortunately do many mayors in Our own, “says Evo Docobel of the Rainbow Movement.