Undated postcard, (H)

Border village (635m) along the right bank of Divoká Orlice, originally (1550) named Bärnwald and erected with glassworks on a local Neratovec creek end 15th century. During 1723-33 baroque Our Lady Ascension church which became a famous pilgrimage spot. On the very end of World War II the church burned out and never been repaired, only contour walls remained. Despite this, a new community settled after 1990 is holding regular church service there and revived a tradition of Saint's Day too.

Upper Neratov.

Tourist guide book (1913) mentioned "...From all of local pubs the best is the Knoblich´s on the road under the church..." it has burned off the same year, but another two were said to be good too, the Sagner´s and the Kolbe´s.

Hardly to believe that in 1930 there was 130 houses with 519 people, post office, telegraph and phone office...

"...Northern to the village, on the summer side, a harvest occurs two weeks earlier to the winter side, located south to the village..." (Dostál, Orlické hory 1939)

Richard Neugebauer

History of Bärnwald /Neratov

"...Just one hundred years ago Eduard Alliger wrote his Bärnwald chronicle. More epochal processes occurred during that 100 years than ever during the whole village history in years 1550-1900...". These are opening words of Richard Neugebauer´s "History of Neratov", mapping periods of prosperity and regression from the opposite side of the border.By the courtesy of the author, electronic format of the book in the Czech language (136 kB zip) is to download here.

Another photos

Original interier of Neratov church, (H)	Neratov before World War II, (Z)
Interior of church in 1998.	Characteristic convex face with two towers is probably derived from buildings by Alliprandi, condition in 1998.

       Neratov fair
       (15. - 19. August 2001)

Ceremony of mass 17.8.
			Concert of Karel Diepold after the mass.
	Evening atmosphere in church.

More information about Neratov only in czech version of this site.

German page by Hartmut Lux