

Old Post Office
After a two year reconstruction, the so-called
Old Pozořická Post Office was reopened on 29 April 1995 (today, it is a private
building). It was built in 1785 and served as living quarters for the postmaster, as well
as post office and guest room. It was built in order to make the post office network more
dense between Brno and Vyškov. It served this purpose until 1879, when it was moved to
Pozořice. In the 20th century this historic structure became dilapidated, as it was used
as a warehouse for fertilizer for crop production.
Emperor Napoleon I, along with his
marshals, spent some time here in the afternoon of 28 November 1805, before the memorable
battle at Slavkov. He returned here on 3 December in the early morning with Marshals
Joachim Murat (1767-1815) and Jean Lannes (1769-1809), after the Russian lieutenant
general Duke Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration (1765-1812) had left the building, which had served
as his command post. According to legend, the triumphant Emperor, sitting on a bale of
hay, listened to an account the capitulation of the defeated allies by the Austrian
negotiator Lieutenant Marshal Duke Jan Josef Lichtenstein (1760-1836), who was,
coincidentally, the owner of the Pozor estates, within the territory of which the
mentioned post office was located. The emissaries were supposed to negotiate a truce with
the Emperor and arrange a personal meeting with Emperor František I.
In the building complex surrounding the original
flagstone courtyard, there is now a small museum of the Slavkov battle, the exhibits of
which will gradually be filled out with originals and replicas of items and documents
related to the battle, and there is also a baroque stable with a riding school, a period
restaurant and wine cellar, and a historic shooting range designated for the use of
replicas of historic firearms, probably the only one within the Czech Republic. In the
souvenir shop you can get commemorative coins made on location. Across the road there is a
chapel built by an unknown Russian noblewoman in memory of a Russian officer who died in
the battle.
Contact:: tel/fax: ++420507 / 375985, ++420507 / 375986
http://www.austerlitz1805.cz
info@austerlitz2005.com
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