Litultovice

Litultovice (Leitersdorf) is a market town in Opava District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 900 inhabitants.

Etymology
The name is derived from the personal name Litult, Lutult, or Litolt. It was the founder of the village.

Geography
Litultovice is located about 10 km southwest of Opava and 35 km west of Ostrava. It lies in the Nízký Jeseník range. The highest point is at 455 m above sea level. The Hvozdnice River flows through the southern part of the municipal territory.

History
The first written mention of Litultovice is from 1289. It was a part of the Moravian enclaves in Silesia owned by the bishops of Olomouc, who gave it to various nobles as a fief. A small fortress in the village was first mentioned in 1446.

The most significant holders of the village were the Běrka of Násilé family (1451–1516), the Stoš of Kounice family (1516–1567) and the Bítovský of Bítov family (1580–1614). In 1582, Litultovice was destroyed by a fire and only the fortress survived. The fortress was replaced by a new castle in 1609. In 1792, Litultovice was bought from the Olomouc bishops by the Putz of Rolsberg family.

In 1887, Litultovice was promoted to a market town. The hamlet of Choltice (today an integral part of Litultovice) was founded in 1846 and annexed to Litultovice in 1949.

Transport
The I/46 road from Olomouc to Opava passes through the municipality.

Litultovice is located on the railway line Opava–Svobodné Heřmanice, but trains run on it only on weekends and holidays during the summer season.

Sights
The most important monument is the Litultovice Castle. It is formed by two buildings called Starý zámek (Old Castle) and Nový zámek (New Castle). The Old Castle was built in the Renaissance style before 1579, on the site of an old fortress. It has preserved the original interior painting from the years 1580–1600. The New Castle is a Baroque building from the 18th century. Today the castle houses the municipal office and a library. Next to the castle is a park.

A cultural monument is the wooden Choltice windmill from 1833. It was originally built in nearby Sádek. In 1878, it was transferred to its present location. The mill operated until 1953 and the complete technical equipment has been preserved.

Among the main landmarks of Litultovice is the Church of Saint Bartholomew. It was built in 1844–1847.