Fojtství ve Velkých Karlovicích, Timbered fojtství in Velké Karlovice, Czech Republic

Fojtství is a timbered, single-storey house with an upper floor on a stone base, in the Bzové valley of Velké Karlovice. A gallery runs around the whole first floor, fixed to the roof by posts, with flat carved cones between them. It has a shingled saddle roof with a hip at the ridge and small hipped ends, and shingled gables with vents. A wooden gate joined to a timber barn leads into a courtyard lined by farm buildings.

The first documented fojt (village magistrate) of Karlovice was Jura Hudeček, rewarded for service to the Žerotín family. The current building was constructed in 1793 by master carpenter Jan Žák, who also built the fojtství in Solanec. The Billa family held the office until 1825, when František Zrůnek acquired it; the last fojt was Karel Barvič. The office was abolished in 1848 with the end of serfdom, and in 1876 František Borák bought the property for 12,000 gold coins; his descendants still own it.

The fojt was the lord's representative in the village, and the largest room of the house served as a šenkovna, an inn-like hall where he summoned subjects every Sunday afternoon to hand out tasks. The office of fojt was abolished in 1848 with serfdom, after 134 years and four families.

The fojtství stands in the Bzové valley, part of a closed yard with residential and farm buildings; entry to the yard is through a wooden gate joined to a wooden barn. A copy of the residential building can be seen at the Wallachian Open Air Museum in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm. The building is privately owned by the Borák family, so view it from outside.

The first written record of a Karlovice fojt is Jura Hudeček, who received the office for loyal service to the Žerotín family. The office of fojt was abolished in 1848 with serfdom, after 134 years and four families holding it. A copy of the residential building stands in the Wallachian Open Air Museum in Rožnov.