CENTRE OF THE IRON MOUNTAINS

*28. 3. 1592 Nivnice u Uherského Brodu
+ 15. 11. 1670 Amsterodam

"We are all standing on one stage of the big world, and whatever is done, applies to everybody" - thus a wise and apt quotation from the work of the world thinker, theologian, bishop of the Brethren’s Unity, educationalist, and politician reads; Comenius promoted international peace among the nations which were burdened with the curse of the Thirty Years’ War. Comenius’ pedagogical legacy in the form of compulsory school attendance and the emphasis on the pupils’ independent work, especially on the study of languages, is world-recognized. Also his pedagogical principles and methods, especially clearness and the function of motivation in school, have been practised in education not only in our country, but also in a number of countries in the world, up to the present day. The spiritual work of this genius lives also in our region, in Fulnek, where, as he himself stated, he had spent the three happiest years of his life (1618 - 1621). It was here that his work "Listové do nebe (Letters to the Sky)" was created, here he started to work on the "Moraviae Nova et Post Omnes Priores Accuratissima Delineati". Thanks to him other Brethren’s schools, which were helping to educate the youth, flourished in the region of Nový Jičín (in Mořkov, Suchdol n.O., Nový Jičín, Starý Jičín). Comenius’ stay in our region is commemorated by a National Culture Monument - the premises of the former Brethren’s congregation in Fulnek.

The main works:
"Listové do nebe (Letters to the Sky)" (1619), "Labyrinth of the World and Paradise of the Heart" (1631), "Centrum Securitatis" (1633), "Didactica Magna" (1657 in Latin), "The School of Infancy" (around 1630), "Janua Linguarum Reserata" (1631, in Czech 1633), "Orbis Pictus" (1658), "Linguarum Novissima Methodus" (1649), "Schola Ludus" (1654), "Prodromus Pansofiae" (1643).
He died alone in Amsterdam in 1670, full of disappointment from shattered hope and separated from his native country.

INFORMATION: http://www.Fulnek.cz