Ratměřice named “Village of the Year”

The village of Ratměřice, near Benešov in Central Bohemia, has been named “Village of the Year for 2010” beating out 361 competitors from 13 regions in the Czech Republic. The winner was announced on Saturday as part of an international folklore dance and music festival. The runners-up were villages from the Domažlice and Opava regions. It is the 16th year that the award has been given. It includes two million crowns in prize money to be used for local development. Ratměřice’s mayor Mayor Viktor Liška told journalists the village of 260 inhabitants organized numerous cultural events, inviting guests to visit palace gardens as well as a village museum.