The Šance medieval fortifications

In the 16th century the Czech lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Jablunkov pass was an important strategic location for trade and military campaigns. This was a time when much of Central Europe had been overrun by marauding Turkish troops, who had conquered the Hungarian lands as far as Žilina (today situated in northern Slovakia). These turbulent times gave rise to a system of stone fortifications and ditches, built on the orders of Adam Václav the Duke of Těšín.

The Jablunkov pass had been a major meeting-point of nations for many centuries, and provided a conduit between mountain ranges for the long-established route from Hungary to the northern Slavic lands. Even further back in time, Roman soldiers had used the route on trade missions. During the turbulent era of the Turkish attacks on Europe, the people of the Těšín Dukedom were terrified of being overrun by murderous hordes of looting and pillaging soldiers who had cut a bloody path through the Hungarian lands up to Žilina – from where the Jablunkov pass offered an ideal route through to peaceful Silesia. In 1578, to prevent this fate, the Duke of Těšín Adam Václav had clearings cut in the deep borderland forests, and a series of stone fortifications with deep ditches was built at the border crossing not far from Mosty u Jablunkova: these fortifications became known as Stará (‘Old’) Šance. The last time the fortifications saw military action was in 1741 during the Silesian Wars, when Silesia was occupied by Prussian forces. When the Prussians reached Jablunkov, they occupied the town and mounted an attack on the fortifications near Mosty, eventually capturing them, destroying them and moving on northwards. The fortifications included 8 sites, which have survived partly intact up to the present day: Velká šance – Mosty u Jablunkova, Malá šance – Valy Čierne, Stará šance – Svrčinovec, Megoňky (Čadca), Mosty – Dolina, Bukovec (V Sušu, na Kempě, na Dílku).