Slovakia - Sites of Great Moravia: Slavonic Fortified Settlement at Mikulčice – Church of St. Margaret at Kopčany

The church of St. Margaret Antiokhii in Kopčany with the archaeological locality of near-church cemetery and ante nave (narthex) forms a part of the Slavonic fortified settlement at Mikulčice, which is the most preserved immovable monument of early Middle Ages Slavonic state called Great Moravia. The territory is stretching in present days over the borders of the Czech and Slovak Republics. Fortified settlement, its under site and important part of pre-site are stretching along Morava riverbed in the today's cadastral territory of Mikulčice in the Czech Republic. The tentative List for inscription of the Great Moravia fortified settlement at Mikulčice to the List of World Cultural Heritage was submitted in 2001. St. Margaret Antiokhii Church in Kopčany and the archaeological territory of near-church cemetery and ante nave with the tombs of members of Great Moravian elite is localized in the territory of Hrudy on the South-Western bulge of the most pronounced dune of Eastern part of Slavonic fortified settlement at Mikulčice. The dune is spreading in prolonged irregular form and its topical places express an outline of the road leading to Eastern gate of the fortified territory at Mikulčice. In the northern part of the dune, there is a burial place and residence. We have frame knowledge only about the internal structure of the dune settlement.