Old Poruba - behind the stories of a Silesian village

Discover the magic of Poruba

Come visit the real Poruba – an original Silesian village, whose history dates back to the Middle Ages. Even though Stará Poruba is a bit out of the spotlight today, it still retains its peaceful and almost village-like character. You will find places here that tell the stories of generations, and corners where time has stopped.

We will start the tour at the Wandering Boulder, which is part of the memorial to the victims of the First and Second World Wars. The boulder was found while walking in the area of ​​today's Poruba Forest by Josef Hurník, the father of the composer Ilja Hurník. It originally stood on a village square in the center of the village, near today's town hall. Today it is placed in a stone bed, surrounded by a steel walkway. The walkway is only anchored to beams on some places, so its central part rumbles with every step – a symbolic echo of the war.

Head down Záhumenní Street towards house no. 144. This is where the famous Poruba windmill, a windmill built by the farmer and mayor Josef Tichý, used to stand. The mill served for ninety years before burning down in the 1990s. It turned according to the direction of the wind and is still a technical and family legacy of the time when Poruba lived at its own pace. Now a functional model built by his grandson stands on the site today in the honor of the old windmill.

Just a short distance away is the Sokol gym from 1901, the first ever in Silesia. It was built thanks to the dedication of local enthusiasts who combined physical education with theater and social events. Local legend even says that the members of the Sokol committee were inspired to build it by spirits – especially the spirit of Karel Havlíček Borovský, who supposedly appeared to them during a spiritualist seance.

Continue along Vřesinská Street. Once you cross the busy road, you will find yourself in a quieter part of the old village. In the 1930s, a branch of the Baťa company was established here (house no. 20). On the opposite side of the street, in an inconspicuous house surrounded by a garden, Eduard Lazar – the first Czechoslovak mayor of Poruba – had his wheelwright’s workshop. He was a legionnaire, a progressive visionary and made significant contributions to electrification, sewage and the construction of the local railway.

You will then reach the site of the former village square. Approximately where the town hall stands today, there used to be a municipal building, which burned down during the liberation struggles and was demolished in 1947. On the opposite side of it stood the only industrial enterprise in Poruba – the Ignác Blažej furniture factory. Furniture was produced here and exported as far as France. The enterprise was the largest employer in the village, but nowadays nothing remains of it.

Just a few steps further, notice the inconspicuous building No. 2230/5. This is where the railway stop was located, where the first train arrived in 1925. The railway helped transport wood and labor and contributed to the growth of the entire Poruba. The line was in service until 1947, when it was replaced by a direct electric tram from Ostrava. In 1969, the railway ceased to exist completely.

Next to today's town hall is the Parish House, which housed the first cinema in Poruba - the Ludmila cinema (later Zdar) since 1930. The cinema continued to operate after the war and was modernized in 1955. The originally flat floor was replaced by the first parabolic floor in Ostrava - with a slope towards the screen.

Around the town hall, take Klimkovická Street towards the church. On the way, you will pass the old school building (No. 58/30).

The dominant feature of the original village is certainly the Church of St. Nicholas, the oldest building in the village. It was probably built in the 15th century. On the southern wall you can discover part of the preserved Gothic window arch and also the remains of the alleged tombstone of Adam of Kornice, which refers to the creation of the sanctuary in the 13th century. However, historians refute this claim.

Near the church, notice the preserved tombstones of the old cemetery. Among them is the grave of mayor Ignác Bárta, whose great-great-grandson is the famous actor and presenter Marek Eben.

From the church, head through the park to the last stop - the Poruba castle. According to local legend, the castle and the church were once connected by a secret corridor, along which the Wilczek family used to go to the temple. Despite repeated attempts, no one has ever found it - but who knows?

Poruba Castle, bearing a coat of arms with a winged fish on its facade, was built in 1573. It was the seat of noble families, most recently Ferdinand Wilczek and his wife Nora from the Kinsky family. Nora died tragically during her second childbirth in 1923 and Ferdinand then lived here only with his daughter. Ferdinand alternated between summer residences in Dobroslavice and Poruba – he arrived on horseback, in a carriage and in a sleigh, the jingling of which was said to be heard from afar. He dressed modestly, walked through the fields with a stick, greeted the villagers and followed the events in the village. Their fate is captured in the novel Žila jsem příliš krátce (I lived too short). Interestingly, their daughter Georgina married a Liechtensteiner and became the mother of today's Prince Hans Adam II.

The castle was heavily damaged by bombing at the end of the war. Today it has been reconstructed and serves as a restaurant and cultural center – it is definitely worth a visit.

Our tips:

• Below the castle you will find the castle pond and the former mill building – now without a wheel, but still with a poetic atmosphere.
• You can take a walk in the Poruba forest, visit the planetarium, stop by the game lodge or just relax in nature.
• And if you feel like returning to a livelier part of the city, head to Hlavní třída, where you will find a newly renovated section called Florida – with water features, seating, a bistro and a trail in the clouds.

Length: approx. 2.5 km

Difficulty: easy walk on sidewalks and paved roads.

Accessibility by public transport: Vřesinská stop, tram: 5, 7, 8 and 17