Memorials Západné Slovensko

Mohyla na Bradle is the final resting place of the Slovak general Milan Rastislav Štefánik (1880 - 1919). It is located in Myjavská pahorkatina, at an altitude of 543 m above sea level. You will find the mound between Brezová pod Bradlom and Košariská, the birthplace of the author of famous quotes such as: "I will fight my way through, because I want to fight my way through," "Believe the truth, live the truth, and defend the truth," or “He who thinks that others will win his freedom for him is not worthy of it.”

M. R. Štefánik was an important scientist, soldier, politician (vice-chairman of the Czechoslovak National Council, minister of war), astronomer, photographer, and diplomat. He was a key figure in Slovakia, mediating contacts with French state officials and co-organizing the Czecho-Slovak Legions and the establishment of our modern statehood. Together with T. G. Masaryk and E. Beneš, they played an important role in the founding of Czecho-Slovakia.

Štefánik died tragically on May 4, 1919 near Ivanka pri Dunaji while returning to his homeland together with members of his Italian crew, who are buried alongside him on Bradlo. The mound is a masterpiece by architect Dušan Jurkovič and represents the highest standard of European monumental architectural creation. The cornerstone was laid on the fifth anniversary of Štefánik's death. The monument was solemnly unveiled on September 23, 1928. The structure has a rectangular shape. The lower terrace measures 93 x 62 m, while the upper terrace measures 45 x 32 m. Along the edges of the terrace stand four obelisks, each 12 m high. In the center of the upper terrace rises a sarcophagus with a tomb, under which Štefánik's grave is located at a depth of 8 m.

Its construction took 280 working days and costs reached an incredible 2,813,262 CZK. After the fall of the totalitarian regime, it underwent reconstruction that lasted almost 7 years, until 1996. In 1968, it was declared a national cultural monument, and in 2009, it was inscribed on the European Heritage list.

If you want to pay tribute to General Štefánik, read the text on the plaques on his tomb, or enjoy breathtaking views, the peak of Bradlo and the mound rising above it are the ideal place. You can reach the summit from the parking lot along a winding road with sharp turns. An ideal addition to this trip is a visit to Múzeum M. R. Štefánika, located in his birthplace in Košariská. Book your stay near Štefánik's Mohyla na Bradle, ideally on the page accommodation Brezová pod Bradlom or accommodation Košariská, and enjoy your trip.

Would you like to experience a realistic trip into the past? We recommend visiting the village of Veľké Lovce in the Nové Zámky district. The period homestead, Dom ľudového bývania Veľké Lovce, will reliably draw you into the life, housing, and work of our ancestors in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The small private museum is simultaneously proof of the skill and ingenuity of its owner, who renovated it with respect for cultural heritage and made it accessible to the public. Although the folk housing house regularly becomes the center of cultural events organized by the village, its owner and operator continues to be Mr. Galbavý. You can also arrange a tour of this charming homestead with him by phone.

The folk housing house presents a 57-meter-long farmhouse dating from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. However, it is assumed that the first walls of the house were built back in 1794. The original structure consists of unburnt sun-dried brick and clay. During the sensitive renovation, the owner consistently preserved both the period architecture and natural materials. This created a truly charming monument, a house with a unique atmosphere that currently serves as the seat of a small private museum. Part of the homestead is also a farmyard, pigsties, a chaff storage room, a stable, a barn, a cellar, an apiary, or a wattle sheep pen.

In the interior of the house, besides individual rooms and the kitchen with an open chimney, you can also view traditional furnishings, items of daily use, decorations, or working tools. You will find original kerosene lamps, old ceramics, beautiful folk embroideries, and a rare wooden chest from 1908. If you are lucky, you will catch one of the village's cultural events, for which the spaces of the clay structure become the venue. Carnival celebrations, traditional home pig slaughters, Easter markets, grape harvest festivals, or folklore celebrations regularly take place here. The property currently also includes a stage and a shelter for visitors.

You can combine time travel with horseback riding at the Trilobit ranch in the village of Čechy or with water relaxation at the sought-after thermal swimming pool Podhájska. In the winter season, you can enjoy perfect skiing at the Čechy Pallag resort. The offer of trip options and attractions here is truly diverse. Similarly varied is the offer of accommodation in the vicinity of Dom ľudového bývania Veľké Lovce. We recommend using the sought-after accommodation in Podhájska, from where diverse experiences will be just a stone's throw away.

Welcome to the most terrifying house in Trenčín. A romantic alley paved with cobblestones that leads right underneath Trenčiansky hrad will bring you to Katov domu, where people were cruelly tortured in the Middle Ages. Terrifying things took place on the premises of this Renaissance burgher house, during which many innocent people lost their lives. However, justice also caught up with the executioner Stanislav Chrbinský himself, who was executed himself for stealing church collection boxes.

The executioner's house was built as a stone house around 1607, divided into living quarters, an economic part, and a kitchen. It is assumed that the executioner lived on the upper floor, there was a prison on the ground floor, and in the dark, damp cellar, there was a dungeon where the condemned awaited execution. Trenčín used the services of the city executioner until 1790.

Currently, there are three exhibitions located here. The first of them bears the name „Majster spravodlivosti - kat“ and will guide you through the objects of municipal justice and torture law. The exhibition consists of a terrifying executioner's sword, a pillory where heads were severed, as well as a rack, a wooden horse (dereš), and a breaking wheel. The worst execution was when the condemned was tied up, laid on the ground, and the executioner chopped him into four pieces with a sword. Another horrific death occurred when a prisoner was tied between four horses and torn apart this way. In addition to torture tools, you will also find halberds and uniforms of the city guards, the uniform of the city police captain, their rifles, and sabers.

The next exhibition, „Remeslo, cechy a cechové zariadenie“, is more pleasant and brings closer the activities of guilds in the territory of the Trenčiansky kraj region. Here you can admire craft creations as well as artistic and historical objects. The final part of the exhibition, „Mešťania, ako žili...“, showcases the housing and everyday life of the inhabitants of Trenčín from 1850 to the interwar period. It consists of valuables, various parts of clothing, a ladies' cosmetic case, and an unconventional medical tool. a bloodletting needle.

Trenčín ranks among the largest Slovak cities and is a popular destination not only for Slovak but also for foreign tourists. Plan trips around the surroundings and discover other great attractions in Trenčín. After this unconventional and, we believe, unforgettable experience, treat yourself to a bit of fun and head to the rope center Tarzania Trenčín. If it happens to be a hot summer day, a stay at the Mestské kúpalisko Trenčín will bring you great refreshment.

Stay in the Považie region longer and book accommodation near the Dom mestského kata right now. A rich offer of stylish apartments and cozy guesthouses can be found on our page accommodationTrenčín. During your stay, definitely do not miss the legend-enshrouded Trenčiansky hrad.

To some a eccentric, to others an icon of the capital city of Bratislava. That is how Ignáca Lamára can be called. Do not know who is being talked about? Despite a difficult fate, this eternally smiling man in a tailcoat, with a top hat and a cane, became the model for the statue that adorns the streets of Starého Mesta. The legendary statue in the center of Bratislavy respectfully and with a smile greets all passersby.

Schöne Náci, real name Ignác Lamár, greeted passersby in the streets of Bratislavy for more than 40 years. Although a difficult fate befell him in life, his mother left him, and his father, with whom he cared for his sick brother, died early, Schöne Náci never gave up his smile and made his way through life like a true gentleman. A native of Bratislavy, born back in the times of Rakúsko-Uhorska, he was initiated into the shoemaking trade by his father. After his father's death, he made his way through life mainly as a theater stagehand. He frequently visited performances and adopted mimicry and gestures from actors, which gradually became part of him.

His favorite pastime was daily walks through the town. With his appearance, he drew attention, and the unassuming Ignáca became the legend Schöne Náci. The eternal dandy maintained his taste despite advancing fashion trends. Some looked at him strangely, while others shouted at him. Ignác always responded with a kind and friendly smile. He was popular with many and became a part of Starého Mesta. He ended his life journey in the 1960s in the hospital in Lehniciach. His remains were later transported to Bratislavy, and he found his final resting place at Ondrejskom cintoríne next to another legend, the well-known actor and comedian Júliusa Satinského.

The memory of Ignáca is commemorated by a life-sized statue, which is the work of the academic sculptor Juraja Meliša. Walk through the streets of Bratislavy, experience the unique atmosphere, and come also to greet Schöne Náciho near Rybárskej bráne in Starom Meste. During a stroll through the historical part of the capital, you will encounter another icon. The Čumil statue, also known as Man at Work, is a sort of Bratislava curious onlooker peering out of a manhole. You do not have to worry about tripping over him. From afar, you will be alerted by a cluster of tourists who tend to stop at this spot and take a few photographs.

You will also feel a unique atmosphere when visiting the Galérie Michalský dvor. In the former Jesenákovom paláci, you will find exhibitions featuring works by domestic and foreign artists. An indispensable part of social and cultural life, it is a venue for various events. For a tour of famous Bratislava monuments such as the Primaciálny palác, Dóm sv. Martina, or Bratislavský hrad, you will need more than just one day. So choose from our offer and book accommodation near the Sochy Schöne Náci. Whether you decide on a cozy hotel or a modern apartment, trust that spending a few days in Bratislave is definitely worth it.

The Romanesque rotunda with a circular floor plan and an internal apse stands on the site of a now-vanished Premonstratensian monastery complex in the village of Bíňa, in southern Slovakia. It is assumed that this sanctuary was built around 1200 and served as a baptistery, that is, a place for the baptism of adults. Its interior is decorated with magnificent frescoes from the 13th and 14th centuries. The unique architectural solution of the rotunda has no parallel in Slovakia. The inner walls are divided by twelve niches with semicircular endings, symbolizing the twelve messengers of God.

The cylindrical brick structure has an inner diameter of 720 cm, and its walls reach a thickness of up to one meter. The dome-shaped roof is topped with the apostolic double cross of Saint Stephen. The foundations of the rotunda are built from unusually carved quarry stones joined by lime mortar and clay containing brick fragments. Documents from 1683 mention that the sanctuary was severely damaged and fell into disrepair for more than 70 years. Its restoration began only in 1755, when it was modified into the Baroque style. Therefore, the dating of this unusual house of worship was debated for a long time. Its true Romanesque origin was discovered only by chance. Following the bombardment during World War II in 1945, the Baroque plaster fell off, revealing the original medieval masonry.

Shortly after the war, in 1954, the renovation of the original Romanesque elements began, along with a comprehensive heritage restoration. Romanesque windows were exposed, while the newer Baroque ones were bricked up. After removing the Baroque coating, Romanesque paintings of exceptionally high artistic and technical quality were revealed. These are preserved fragments of a fresco depicting a group of twelve apostles. The figures, approximately one meter tall, are rendered in delicate shades of pale ochre, gold ochre, grayish-green, light blue, and pink. The faces of God's heralds are noble, radiating deep spirituality. The restoration also uncovered part of a votive painting depicting an adoring knight, a crusader. Among the Romanesque architectural elements, the portal on the southeastern side, a circular window in the western part, and three slit windows facing east have been preserved in their original state.

The exterior plaster also underwent reconstruction, using the same smoothing technique applied during its original construction in the 12th century. To smooth the plaster, a metal tool heated in fire was used, which scorched the plaster with the hot metal. In 2006, archaeological research uncovered part of a Romanesque sculpture representing part of a lion's head, which presumably stood in front of the portal leading to the monastery church. Directly beneath the foundations, graves dating back to the Great Moravian era were discovered.

The complex includes the now non-existent Kaplnka sv. Kataríny and the twin-tower Gothic Kostol nanebovzatia Panny Márie. After exploring this unusual sacral structure, head straight to the pools of Termálne kúpalisko Vadaš and treat yourself to true summer refreshment. If you are already looking forward to your summer vacation, do not wait and book your accommodation near Rotunda dvanástich apoštolov today. The accommodation Bíňa page offers a variety of spacious cottages that can accommodate the whole family. And if you enjoyed the water park in Štúrovo, do not hesitate to search for private accommodations or apartments right in its immediate vicinity.