Rudoltice


Rudoltice is a village in the Ústí nad Orlicí District, Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,800 inhabitants.

Geography

Rudoltice is located at the foothills of Orlické hory in Podorlická pahorkatina near the Bohemian-Moravian border within the historical land of Bohemia. It is close to town Lanškroun located 4 km northeast. Another towns in neighborhood include Česká Třebová and Ústí nad Orlicí.

History

Middle Ages

Village Rudelsdorf was probably founded during the colonization of Bohemia initiated by the Přemyslid dynasty in the 1250s–1270s. The first written record goes back to May 21, 1304 when the monastery of Zbraslav did not properly manage the Lanšperk Landlord's money and as a consequence King Wenceslaus II put them under the Lanškroun Landlord. Rudolfsdorf, later called Rudelsdorf, remained belonging to Lanšperk-Lanškroun during the entire Middle Ages. 1368 this landlord came into property of Litomyšl episcopate.
Since 1350 Rudelsdorf had been known as a community with a church. Originally there was a wooden church in place of the present one. In the place of the present stairs used to stand the church tower which that time was separated from the bay. According to parish chronicle this ancient church contained Gothic paintings of the owner's heraldry. Coat of arms on them depicted bestial heads, rake and men belonging to three local Lords whose names were Persteins, Kostkové z Postupic and Hrzánové. Research documents of the 1870s compiled by village teacher Jandl are showing that this church was one of the oldest in the neighborhood.
After the disappearance of the Hussite movement, the so-called Unity of the Brethren churches spread rapidly in East Bohemia. Lanškroun was one of its main seats. In Rudelsdorf, as like in other villages in neigherbood, local German Brethren parish was founded.

Monuments