Stradunia

Stradunia is a village located in the Opole Voivodeship, within Krapkowice County, in the municipality of Walce. It covers 9.7% of the municipality's area and is home to 16% of its population. The village serves agricultural and service functions, and the national road No. 45, connecting the A4 motorway with the Czech border, runs through its territory. Stradunia has a rich history dating back to the Stone Age and was first mentioned in a document from 1228. The name "Stradunia" derives from the nearby river, which played a significant role in the settlement's development. In the Middle Ages, the village stretched along the Stradunia River. Stradunia had its own coat of arms as early as the Habsburg era. The village's architecture features a multi-street spatial layout with 19th-century brick buildings and modern single-family homes. An important architectural landmark is the Parish Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, built between 1921 and 1923. Stradunia also boasts numerous 19th-century chapels and a preserved rural layout. In the 19th century, the German ethnographer Julius Roger visited the village to collect folk songs. Over the years, the population has fluctuated around 800–900 people. The inhabitants of Stradunia are primarily Silesians, with a German minority, and they speak the Prudnik dialect. Nature is also a significant aspect of Stradunia—the village lies in the Oder Valley climate, which favors agriculture, and its terrain features varied soil types. Within the village boundaries lies the ecological site "Stara Odra" (Old Oder), rich in diverse fauna and flora, including rare aquatic plant species such as the yellow water lily. Stradunia also contains the Koźle-Krępna mineral deposit, which is currently not exploited. The village has a developed infrastructure, including water supply, sewage systems, and electricity. Stradunia is home to a kindergarten, an elementary school, an inn, a library, and a shop. It serves as the seat of a Roman Catholic parish. Notably, the village experienced a flood in 1997, which inundated a large part of the area and influenced subsequent infrastructure development and water management. Thanks to its rich historical, cultural, and natural heritage, Stradunia is an important part of the local community and the region's history.