Rychvald is located northeast of Ostrava, in its immediate vicinity. It is urbanistically merged with Ostrava-Michálkovice. It lies in the Ostrava Basin lowland, in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia. The territory is rich in fishponds.
The village became a seat of a Catholic parish, mentioned in the register of Peter's Pence payment from 1447 among 50 parishes of Teschen deaconry as Reychenwald.[4]
In 1573, a part of the Duchy of Tetschen with Rychvald was sold to the Barský of Bašť family. Bernard Barský of Bašť had built a Renaissance castle here in 1575–1577 and chose Rychvald as his family seat. The family owned Rychvald until 1630, then several aristocratic families passed into his ownership. From the mid-18th century to 1898, it was in possession of the Moennich and the Larisch von Moennich family, who were its most notable owners. During their rule, the castle was gradually modified and reconstructed.[5]
For centuries, Rychvald was an agricultural village. In the 19th century, the region saw a boom in coal mining and the character of the village began to change.[3]
There are no major roads passing through the municipality. The railway that runs through the territory is not used for passenger transport.
Sights
The Starý Dvůr Castle is the oldest building in Rychvald, protected as a cultural monument since 1982. Today it is in private ownership and inaccessible.[5]
The second oldest building is the Church of Saint Anne from 1595.[3]
Notable people
Přemysl Kočí (1917–2003), opera singer, actor and stage director