Kvilda

Not to be confused with Horská Kvilda.

Kvilda
Municipality
General view
General view
Flag of Kvilda
Flag
Coat of arms of Kvilda
Coat of arms
Kvilda is located in Czech Republic
Kvilda
Kvilda
Location in the Czech Republic
Coordinates: 49°1′10″N 13°34′47″E / 49.01944°N 13.57972°E / 49.01944; 13.57972
Country Czech Republic
RegionSouth Bohemian
DistrictPrachatice
First mentioned1569
Area
 • Total
45.19 km2 (17.45 sq mi)
Elevation
1,065 m (3,494 ft)
Population
 (2024-01-01)[1]
 • Total
124
 • Density2.7/km2 (7.1/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
384 93
Websitewww.sumava.net/kvilda/

Kvilda (German: Außergefild) is a municipality and village in Prachatice District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 100 inhabitants. At an altitude of 1,065 metres (3,494 ft), it is the highest municipality in the Czech Republic. It is also one of the coldest places in the country.

Administrative parts

The hamlets of Bučina, Františkov, Hraběcí Huť and Vydří Most are administrative parts of Kvilda.

Geography

Kvilda is located about 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of Prachatice and 64 km (40 mi) west of České Budějovice. It lies in the Bohemian Forest and in the Šumava National Park. The village of Kvilda lies at an average altitude of 1,065 metres (3,494 ft) above sea level, which makes it the highest municipality in the country.[2] The highest point in the municipality is the Černá hora mountain at 1,316 m (4,318 ft).

The Teplá Vltava (the headwater of the Vltava, which is the longest Czech river) originates in the municipality. The municipal territory is rich in small watercourses. In the northern part of the municipality is the 103 ha (250-acre) large moor of Jezerní slať.[3]

Climate

Perla weather station in Jezerní slať

Kvilda enjoys a version of wet Subarctic climate (Dfc) with cold and wet conditions year round. The municipality, specifically the moor Jezerní slať and its weather station named Perla, holds several temperature records. It is one of the coldest places in the country with average annual temperature of 2 °C (36 °F). The lowest measured temperature is −41.6 °C (−42.9 °F) recorded on 30 January 1987. It also holds the record of the highest average of below-zero days per annum, which is 252 days. The total annual amount of precipitation is up to 1,300 mm.[4][5] The station Perla has been in operation since October 1985.[6]

The average annual temperature in the village of Kvilda is 3.4 °C (38.1 °F), The total annual amount of precipitation is 1,100 mm. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of −5 °C (23 °F), the warmest month is July with 12.3 °C (54.1 °F). The average number of days with snow cover is 150.[3]

History

The first written mention of Kvilda is from 1569. Most of the population were ethnic Germans. After World War II, the German inhabitants were expelled.[7]

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
18691,436—    
18801,768+23.1%
18901,558−11.9%
19001,643+5.5%
19101,493−9.1%
YearPop.±%
19211,426−4.5%
19301,475+3.4%
1950204−86.2%
1961227+11.3%
1970226−0.4%
YearPop.±%
1980205−9.3%
1991169−17.6%
2001169+0.0%
2011163−3.6%
2021130−20.2%
Source: Censuses[8][9]

Transport

There are no railways or major roads passing through the municipality.

Sights

The Church of Saint Stephan was built in 1892–1894 and replaced an old wooden church destroyed by fire.[10]

On the edge of Jezerní slať is a lookout tower and an educational trail.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2024". Czech Statistical Office. 17 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Kvilda: Nejvýše ležící obec je také ta nejchladnější" (in Czech). Deník.cz. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Přírodní poměry Kvildy a jejího okolí" (in Czech). Obec Kvilda. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Jezerní slať na Šumavě patří k nejchladnějším a nejvlhčím místům v Česku" (in Czech). Plzeňoviny.cz. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Certifikát: Nejstudenější místo v katastru obce" (PDF) (in Czech). Agentura Dobrý den Pelhřimov. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  6. ^ Fuchs, Miroslav (25 October 2013). "Někdo před mrazy utíká, jiný se na ně těší". Prachatický deník (in Czech). Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Historie Kvildy" (in Czech). Obec Kvilda. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Historický lexikon obcí České republiky 1869–2011" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 21 December 2015.
  9. ^ "Population Census 2021: Population by sex". Public Database. Czech Statistical Office. 27 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Kostel sv. Štěpána a hřbitov" (in Czech). Obec Kvilda. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
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