Museums and galleries Hôrka nad Váhom

If you love history and are planning a trip to Nové Mesto nad Váhom, be sure to visit Podjavorinské múzeum, which is housed in a building called Gilániho dom and serves as an exhibition of Trenčianske múzeum. Inside the museum, you will find a regional exhibition dedicated to history, ethnography, archaeology, the history of craft guilds, and the folk culture of the Nové Mesto region. A separate section of the museum features an exhibition that highlights the rich ecclesiastical history of this area. In June 2021, the museum launched a major reconstruction.

Historically magnificent is the exhibition titled "sedliacka izba" (peasant room), which illustrates the extensive culture and traditional housing of the inhabitants of the Nové Mesto region at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition to displays of folk clothing and various agricultural tools, you can admire beautiful Haban ceramics here. These were characterized by yellow, green, purple, and blue colors, highlighted by black contours. Interestingly, red color was not used for religious reasons.

Among the most precious pieces in Podjavorinské múzeum is the exhibition of "beautiful Madonnas," where you will also find a faithful replica of the famous "Beckovská madona." In the 14th century, it was placed in the chapel at nearby Hrad Beckov; however, Stibor II, a nobleman of Polish origin and lord of Beckov Castle, had it moved to the Roman Catholic Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Nové Mesto nad Váhom. During the Hussite raids in 1423, the Madonna was moved back to Hrad Beckov. Later, during the Reformation, the Madonna was transferred to the Moravian village of Koryčany, where it remains to this day in the Church of St. Lawrence.

Special Announcement: Podjavorinské múzeum is undergoing reconstruction from June to December 2021.

After visiting the museum, hop on a bicycle and set off on a trip along Vážska cyklomagistrála. During your cycling tour, you can stop and relax at Vodná nádrž Zelená voda, which is widely sought after during the summer season. But don't worry, even though the water is green in color, it is safe and suitable for swimming and fishing. Don't hesitate, book your stay in the Považie region today. Accommodation near Podjavorinské múzeum can be found on our subpage accommodation in Nové Mesto nad Váhom.

If you long to discover the history of the cottage-town Stará Turá, visit Mestské múzeum, located on ulica gen. Milana Rastislava Štefánika. The museum focuses primarily on the history of the podjavorinský region. The first museum exhibition was introduced to visitors in 1976 in the premises of the former Roman Catholic school under the name "Izba revolučných tradícií". Since 2005, the museum has been located in the Dom Kultúry building.

In the museum, you can view rare fossils of animals from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras, remains of four-legged mammals, as well as archaeological finds from the Stone and Bronze Ages. Very valuable is the skull of an aurochs, an extinct animal after which the town itself is named.

You will also find an exceptionally rare document from 1392 here, in which Stará Turá is mentioned for the first time. Also preserved here are records of the operation of the woodcarving school and the work of its students, among whom was the national artist Fraňo Štefunko. You can also view rare documents from the 17th–18th centuries confirming the validity of King Matthias Corvinus's privileges from 1467. These were granted to the town of Stará Turá for the residents' capture of the warrior Ján Švehla. Another unique item is the town seal from the 18th century, which depicts this event.

The ethnographic part of the museum is dedicated to the development of crafts, guilds, trade, and businesses in the town. Here you can admire local work and festive traditional costumes. The museum records the revolutionary year 1848, the period of World War I, and the fate of the Jewish community in the town. The period of the SNP (Slovak National Uprising) in the podjavorinský region is also documented. A separate exhibition is dedicated to the former company Chirana, which in its time was the largest manufacturer of medical technology in Československo.

The branch exhibition "Tradičné bývanie" is located in another part of the building. Here you have the opportunity to see a period room dedicated to the way of life of our ancestors. You can view ancient furniture, local traditional costumes, religious books, or objects once used by our great-grandparents. Part of the museum is a multifunctional room used for film screenings, presentations, or discussions.

Stará Turá is full of great places worth visiting. A big attraction is Železničné múzeum Stará Turá, which is primarily dedicated to the railway line Veselí nad Moravou - Nové Mesto nad Váhom. After a great trip, treat yourself to a rest and go swimming at Krytá plaváreň. Accommodation near Mestské múzeum Stará Turá can be found on our page accommodation in Starej Turej.