The dance guide to the Little Carpathian region was created in collaboration with two national dance companies – the SND Ballet and SĽUK. Sandra Benčičová's footage preserves the genius loci of each location, sometimes depicting playfulness, elsewhere majesty, subtlety and in some cases a strong contrast between the environment and the dance pose.
City Tower in Modra
The sky above the tower is pierced by a two-armed cross at the end of a metal halberd tip in the shape of a six-pointed star with a crescent moon on a hollow tin egg. In Modra, it is said that the emblem of the Ottoman Empire on the tower was intended to confuse the enemy army and discourage it from plundering the city, saying that the city was already in Turkish hands. The second version of the interpretation of the unusual phenomenon of the end of the tower sounds different. The double cross on a crescent moon with a star at the top of the tower is apparently intended to symbolize the defeat of the Ottoman troops, the liberation of Hungary and the victory of Christianity over Islam.
Either way, the tower was once part of the city's defensive fortifications and today it has merged with the Church of St. Stephen the King. The old dominant of Modra from the 17th century has 6 floors and a height of 55 m. You can look at the city from the gallery and see the hidden beauty of Modra - the surrounding courtyards with magical courtyards, gardens that end with walls, vineyards and the Little Carpathians.
In the photo: Tereza Húsková, Kristína Slováková, Lucia Michalíková from the Eva Jaczová Dance Conservatory.
Lookout tower in Svätý Jur
A bird's-eye view of the picturesque town Svätý Jur at sunset with a glass of good wine. What a beautiful sight! A new lookout tower has been built on the top of a hill in the Panciere area above Bratislavské záhumenice in Svätý Jur. It is part of an emerging wine-growing open-air museum that will introduce you to the original methods of growing grapes, cultivating vineyards and traditional grape varieties in the Malá Karpaty wine-growing region. It only takes 20 minutes on foot from the city center and you will have a beautiful view of the city and the surrounding vineyards. The lookout tower is freely accessible all year round.
In the photo Matúš Kotuľák, Tomáš Husár, Dominik Lukáč, Viktor Voško from SLUK-in Detvian costumes.
The Future Gallery in Pezinok
We, ordinary people, will soon be able to take a look at the exploration tunnel on the Mining Nature Trail route above the Cajla district. Geopark Malé Karpaty plans to set up a mining exhibition here about the history of ore mining in this area, a Permoníčka adit for children and archive adit, which could be filled by Pezinok winemakers with archive wines. The Small Carpathians are the third most important geological site in Slovakia and are even of global importance. Rare minerals occur in the vicinity of Pernek: Kermezite, Valentinite, a new mineral for Slovakia, Brandholzit, was discovered here (this is the second locality of occurrence in the world) and a rare mineral Schafarzikit.
In the photo Zinoviev Victoria, member of the SND Ballet.
Calvary in Modra
A unique ceramic Stations of the Cross leads to the Calvary built in 1814. It respects the cultural identity of Modra associated with winemaking, viticulture, stone, ceramics and clay. The ceramic tiles, which depict individual stops on the symbolic path to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, are the work of master ceramists: Marián Liška, Jozef Frank, Igor Mesík, Ján Viglaš and Ján Pečuk. The Modra Stations of the Cross with the Calvary is located in the vineyards and during sunset looks like a magical place where believers and non-believers can find peace and forgiveness.
In the photo, Andrej Szabo, first soloist of the SND Ballet, and Silvia Najdená, soloist of the SND Ballet.
Andrej is the recipient of several Literary Fund awards (for the character of Popolvár in the children's ballet Popolvár (2008), for the character of Rotbart in Swan Lake (2009), and the character of Kurbsky in Ivan the Terrible).
Silvia has won several Literary Fund awards for her portrayal of solo characters in the ballets Sleeping Beauty, Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Serenade, Ash Wednesday, etc. In 2004, she was nominated for the Ballet Flower Award in the category of most outstanding young talent.
Hotel Zochova chata
The Small Carpathians hide a forest gem in the dense beech forest. A luxurious four-star wellness hotel has been built on the site of the original Zochova Chata from 1932. It won the Building of the Year 2011 award for the sensitive symbiosis of architecture with the natural environment. The hotel is built according to the principles of feng shui, each object in it has its exact place and orientation. Recharge your batteries in the wellness and spa center with a view of the lake and the surrounding forest. You have a swimming pool, a hot tub, saunas, a Kneipp bath, an ice fall, experience showers, a tepidarium, massage rooms, a fitness center, a gym and a beautiful wellness garden with a sauna and hot tub, which you can have just for yourself.
In the photo: Brigita Stráňavčinová and Frederika Stráňavčinová, dancers SLUK-in folk costumes from the Horehronská village of Polomka.
Green forest
The dance guide to the Little Carpathian region has many stops. Today's one is a sad testimony to the era in which humanity lived not so long ago.
We can never forget some events in our history, so that they do not happen again. Until 1941, a merchant of Jewish origin, Jakub Grünwald, lived in a house with a shop on Národná Street in Modra – Kráľová. After the Aryanization, his entire family was deported and tortured in concentration camps. Of the seven children, only two survived. Thanks to the initiative of Modra Evangelicals and the work of volunteers, their house became a place of worship, Zelený les – a legacy of today's history. Today, Jewish music concerts and exhibitions are regularly organized here on the occasion of the Day of Victims of the Holocaust and Racial Violence. The building, consisting of a garden and a transparent steel structure, along which a young vine stretches as a symbol of Jews, Christians and their common heritage, was nominated for the ARCH 2018 award.
In the photo, Andrej Szabo, first soloist of the SND Ballet, and Silvia Najdená, soloist of the SND Ballet.
Castle winery
The century-old story of wine from Pezinok Castle begins a new chapter, this time with the Šimák Zámok Pezinok label. Owner Štefán Šimák, together with the well-known winemaker Roman Janoušek, decided to make wine the way it should be. From grapes from their own vineyards, from varieties that belong to Slovakia and in their own cellars. The sensitive reconstruction of the original 13th-century water castle and the medieval cellars in the underground will amaze you. The oldest barrel is from 1807, where Saint Leopold is depicted. Other barrels have the coats of arms of the owners and portraits of the holy apostles. The extensive cellars now house the Museum of Winemaking and you will find objects and tools with which our ancestors worked in the vineyard. Large and small old presses for the initial processing of grapes, ingenious filters for cleaning musts, or ancient wine bottling machines. The castle reopens its doors after extensive renovations, including the luxurious Palace Art Hotel, the Katarína Pálffy Golden Hall, and a beautifully renovated chapel. This combination is a magnet for couples who want a romantic castle wedding with 21st century services and amenities.
In the photo: Brigita Stráňavčinová, Frederika Stráňavčinová, Viktória Purdeková, Dorota Bystrianska and Brigita Horvátová from SĽUK. The dancers presented costumes from Dobrá Niva.
Hotel Pod Lipou Resort****
At the end of the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century, the local part of Modra – Harmónia was a sought-after climatic spa resort. The air quality, along with the High Tatras, was among the healthiest in Slovakia. The local forests with Alpine-style villas and summer residences of the Austro-Hungarian or First Republic elite created an original atmosphere. The sun bath from the time of Dušan Jurkovič is coming to life. The renovated Eva pavilion expanded the current accommodation and conference capacities of the Hotel pod Lipou resort and offers guests modern wellness, an indoor relaxation pool, saunas and various treatments. The Hotel pod Lipou Resort**** consists of the Eva, Avana and Vilma pavilions with a sports and adventure area on an area of 2.4 ha with summer pools, a garden, sports fields and a rope park. It is suitable for family holidays, organizing corporate teambuildings, large corporate games or concerts under the open sky.
In the photo: Tereza Húsková, Kristína Slováková, Lucia Michalíková, Lenka Benčičová from the Eva Jaczová Dance Conservatory.
Slovak folk majolica
Vineyard soil and potter's clay - this is the real wealth of Modra, thanks to which this city is historically associated with wine, viticulture and pottery. The Potters' Guild in Modra was founded in 1636 and the first Ceramic Industrial School in 1883. Ceramics from Modra and the Modra Ceramic Workshop were a household name in Hungary. Today, Modra majolica and majolica ornamentation are included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Slovakia. Each piece of majolica is hand-turned, fired and painted by master ceramicists. Modra majolica is once again becoming a sought-after and fashionable item in the modern world. It is part of design and urban markets as well as traditional pottery markets. Slovak Folk Majolica, which has been producing traditional ceramics for 136 years, recently launched a new design collection of traditional majolica called "Shortcuts" and three new collections of utility majolica "Bordeaux Leaf, Violet Ear and Blue Feather." You can order this majolica beauty in the e-shop. www.majolikamodra.sk
In the photo are SĽUK members Veronika Príbulová and Tomáš Husár. The dancing couple is dressed in the Myjava folk costume.
Bastion
The free royal town of Modra was protected by a fortification in the 17th century. It was built for an incredible 36 years (1610-1646). The structure consisted of three entrance gates: Upper, Lower and Vienna, along with two defensive bastions - the northern and southern. They were cylindrical four-story towers, or rotundas, that rose at the highest points of the city walls. The bastions served as control points of the defensive fortification. From them, you could see the wide surroundings and the access roads to the city gates. Of the original fortification, the Upper Gate has been preserved - today various exhibitions are held in its space, and the northern Bastion, which houses the Ignác Bizmayer Gallery. You will find a representative selection of works by this top representative of figurative ceramic creation in Slovakia. In 2012, the Bastion became part of the Museum of Slovak Ceramic Sculpture.
The members in the photo are SLUK-at Veronika Príbulová and Tomáš Husár. The dancing couple presented the Orešanský folk costume.
Calvary in Doľany
Catholic believers from the former serf village of the Červenokamenský estate and the wider surroundings gather every year on the seventh Sunday after Easter in the Church of St. Leonard for a pilgrimage. The left part of the interesting building in the Gothic style from the 14th or 15th century is set into a rock massif, so a large rock fills the space under the wooden choir of the church. Inside is a Baroque altar with a statue of St. Leonard and a relief of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary. Part of the building is a cave and a chapel, which were built sometime after 1645 from behind perpendicular to the original church. On the hill above the church is the Stations of the Cross made of red and yellow glazed bricks, which leads you to Calvary from 1738. Calvary is made up of a group of three stone crosses. The middle one depicts the crucified Jesus and the two side ones depict crucified criminals. The place has a special atmosphere. In the distant past, hermits lived near the church. The last of them was a certain Remigius of Moravia, who was seen here until 1759.
In the photo Victoria Zinovieva, a member of the SND Ballet.
Alexander Filípek lookout
If you want to see the Little Carpathians in all their beauty, take an easy hike to Veľká Homola. At the top of the hill is a lookout tower over 20 meters high. The city of Modra renovated it last year and named it after the forest councilor Alexandr Filípka, who was instrumental in building the Modra forest park and the establishment of the famous tourist resorts of Harmónia and Piesok. There are 120 steps leading up to the tower, and from the platform on the very top you will have a circular view of the panorama of the Little Carpathians, Považský Inovec, Tribeč and, if visibility is good, even the Austrian Alps. Historically, there has been a lookout tower on Veľká Homola since 1894. The new structure is a combination of wooden prisms and steel joints. It recently received a nomination in the competition CE.ZA.AR for the best Slovak architecture. We will find out whether it will become one at the gala dinner on October 10. The event will be broadcast live by RTVS.
In the photo: Matúš Kotuľák, Tomáš Husár, Brigita Stráňavčinová and Frederika Stráňavčinová. SĽUK dancers presented the Kokavian costume.
Community garden
There are many nice corners with a genius loci in Modra. Just wander around the city and its surroundings with your eyes open. Families with children have become fond of the community garden at Štúrová 59. It is a pleasant urban space with wooden benches in the shade of trees, meadow grass, bushes, a trellis that covers part of the brick fence with climbing roses and clematis. The side stone wall depicts fairy tales on ceramic tiles by local master potters. Through the garden you can get from the city center to the historical walls. The city walls in Modra are over 400 years old. Of the original 2,300 meters, 1,680 meters have been preserved today, which the city is gradually renovating under the supervision of conservationists. The community garden is also a place for chamber concerts, performances, summer reading rooms and other cultural events, which it gives a unique atmosphere. On the last weekend of September, there will be an interesting program in the community garden during the Modranský vintage: https://bit.ly/2Oaepw3
In the photo, Andrej Szabo, first soloist of the SND Ballet, and Silvia Najdená, soloist of the SND Ballet.
Castle
If you follow the blue tourist trail from Modra - Harmonia, or the red and then the blue trail from Zochová chata, you will be taken to Zámčisko (468 m above sea level). From the hill there is a beautiful view of Modra, Pezinok and the Danube Uplands. This place is undoubtedly one of the most interesting archaeological sites in Modra. In the Iron or Hallstatt Age, around 700 BC, there was a fortified hillfort here. It had the shape of a 115-meter-long and 105-meter-wide regular horseshoe, which was flanked by defensive ramparts combined with a moat. The Zámčisko hillfort probably took this form during the Great Moravian period and was last rebuilt in the 13th century, during the Hungarian period. The hillfort was used by the original "Modranians" as a refuge from the enemy in turbulent times. They felt safe in this place – after all, there are steep slopes on the west and east sides, and a vertical rock on the south. Easy access to the Chateau was only from the north side along the ridge. Several rare archaeological finds were found here: an iron knife and plowshare from the Great Moravian period, or a medieval hammer, flint, spur, sickle and other objects of our Slavic ancestors.
In the photo: Viktória Purdeková, Dorota Bystrianska, Viktor Voško and Dominik Lukáč. SĽUK dancers presented the Goral folk costume.
Red stone
Once in a while, it is truly the most beautiful castle in the Little Carpathians. Its history is connected with the Pálffy family from 1583 to the Second World War. This important Hungarian family gradually rebuilt it into a representative residence with rich stucco and fresco decoration of the interiors. The castle currently houses a museum presenting the historical housing of the nobility. Part of the permanent exhibition is also a gem - a bronze sculpture of the Madonna and Child, which was created at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The author of the original sculpture is the Italian sculptor, painter, architect and poet, Michelangelo Buonarroti. Fencing festivals and falconry performances are organized in the castle grounds every year. The extraordinary atmosphere can be experienced during the nightly stage shows. The next one is on Saturday, August 10th - The Story of the Dead Bride. More info at http://hradcervenykamen.sk. The castle is accessible by car or on foot from the villages of Píla or Častá. It is open to visitors all year round.
In the photo, Dominik Lukáč and Brigita Horváthová, who performed the Šariš costume as part of the SĽUK costume show.
Church of St. Stephen the King
A Roman Catholic church was added to the free-standing watchtower in Modra between 1873 and 1876. The building, with elements of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles, was designed by the Trnava architect Ignác Feigler on the site of the original older and smaller Church of St. Barbara. The Church of St. Stephen the King has a three-nave, southwest-oriented layout on a rectangular ground plan with a recessed tower. In its interior you will find a magnificent altar with an oil painting of St. Stephen the King, rare older sculptures and paintings from the original furnishings of the Church of St. Barbara. After the construction was completed, the church took over the parish function, which had previously been performed by the Church of St. John the Baptist. Today, the sacral building is one of the dominants of the wine-growing town of Modra.
In the photo: Viktória Purdeková, Dorota Bystrianska, Viktor Voško, Dominik Lukáč. As part of the costume show of the SĽUK dance group, they presented a Goral costume.
Ali farm Vinosady
Do you know how a wax burner works, a smokehouse, and how honey is made? In the apiary on a small family farm in Vinosady, you can try it out with a professional beekeeper. And not only that. The farm raises sheep, exotic llamas, and camels. They process the wool from the animals and will be happy to show you the entire process, from shearing, combing, carding, spinning on a spinning wheel, and weaving on looms. We were surprised by a talking raven, and for the first time we saw the smallest type of horse, the Falabella, bred in Italy. On the farm, you can find a donkey, ostriches, geese, ducks, and chickens. You can try hand-milking goats. The owners use the milk to make goat cheese, yogurt, tzavroch, and žinčica. Ali farm organizes day camps focused on beekeeping and farming in the summer, and during the school year, school excursions and adventure tours for adults. If you are interested in visiting the farm, we recommend that you book in advance at www.alifarma.sk. The owners are planning several new things: they are preparing sourdough courses so that guests can soon take home homemade bread from the farm, and the opening of an Api house intended for so-called apirestherapy - bee respiratory therapy.
In the photo: Dorota Bystrianska, Viktória Purdeková, Brigita Horváthová, Frederika Stráňavčinová, Brigita Stráňavčinová. As part of the costume show, the dance troupe SĽUK presented a costume from Očová.
Evangelical churches in Modra
The sacral spaces of the German Evangelical Church are perhaps among the most beautiful places to organize concerts and music festivals in Modra. The local ECAV choir invests voluntary admission fees for events in the restoration of the building. The church had two predecessors, but both were destroyed by fire. The current one was built between 1833 and 1835. The neoclassical facade dates back to the 19th century. Right next to it stands the Slovak Evangelical Church in the classicist style from 1835. Both buildings represent an important period in the city, when a Protestant college existed here from 1648 and in the years 1741–1934 Modra was the seat of Protestant superintendents – bishops. Important German and Slovak figures worked here: Andreas Schmecker, Samuel Zoch, Dušan Fajnor, Samuel Štefan Osuský and many others. Therefore, but also for family reasons, Ľudovít Štúr lived here from 1851 until his tragic death in 1856.
The photo shows Lenka Benčičová and Peter Andel from the Eva Jaczová Dance Conservatory in Bratislava.
Renaissance House in Svätý Jur
The oldest vine in Svätý Jur stretches along the wall of this historical gem. The history of the house dates back to the 15th century - the time of colonization under German law. It was originally a Gothic building with a high-lying apartment, shallow cellars and farm buildings in the yard. At the beginning of the 17th century, it underwent renovations in the Renaissance style, and was later renovated in the Baroque style. In the second half of the 20th century, it was reconstructed. The Renaissance house is a national cultural monument that occasionally serves the public as a cultural, artistic and wine-making center. The 500-year-old cellar of the house provides the perfect environment for the archive and maturation of spontaneously fermented natural wines. With a glass of wine in hand, you can experience a concert or a screening under the starry sky. Autumn is perfect for tasting young wine, baking fresh bread in a traditional oven or other wine and viticultural activities. Stop by!
In the photo: Viktor Voško, Matúš Kotuľák, Tomáš Husár, Dominik Lukáč. As part of the costume show, the SĽUK dance group presented the Liptov costume.
Pump track
Try riding a pump track. The 114-meter-long track is open to cyclists, skaters, skateboarders and scooters. The height difference on the track is more than a meter, the jump elements are made of earth, the rest is asphalt. The pump track at Zochová chata is unique in that the bends were made by hand. Amateurs and professionals of all ages can perfect their riding here. “Pumping” up and down drives the wheels instead of pedaling, which helps improve balance, skill and overall fitness.
The photo shows Juraj Žilinčár, a soloist of the SND Ballet. His most prominent characters include the Jester in Swan Lake, Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Warhol in the ballet of the same name, St. John in the children's performance A Bug Was Born, the Bucket in Snow White, the Golden God in La Bayadère, Prince Gem and Gunnar in Popolvár, and the Tin Soldier in The Nutcracker.
Pod Gaštankou – a farm in Modra
Above Modra you will find a small family farm, nestled among vineyards. They raise horses, sheep, goats, rabbits, piglets, chickens, ducks and geese. In this “village” mini zoo, little curious people can pet and feed the animals, or take a ride on Larson, the horse. He is the darling of the farm – an older gentleman with a very calm and humble nature. Every proper farm must have a garden, and Pod Gaštankou has both an ornamental and a commercial one. They grow flowers and medicinal herbs, vegetables – tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, zucchini, pumpkins. Freshly picked raspberries, gooseberries and currants taste best. Children can water the garden and if they feel like working a little – the farm has small tools ready. Under Gaštankou they organize creative workshops, barbecues, family celebrations and cook farm delicacies from local ingredients in their own bistro.
In the photo are Brigita Stráňavčinová, Frederika Stráňavčinová, Tomáš Husár and Matúš Kotuľák from SĽUK. They presented the Kokavian folk costume.
Church of St. John the Baptist
What you see in the photo now is the result of the enormous efforts of enthusiasts, volunteers and a demonstration of the strength of the local community. Thanks to the NGO "Preservation of Church Monuments" and the personal commitment of Katarína Machatová, the dilapidated building has become a jewel of sacred architecture in the city, which last year received a public award for exemplary restoration. The national cultural monument stands in the silence of the cemetery at the end of the linden alley on Dolná Street. The historic building from the Romanesque period (13th century) has undergone several structural modifications, and in the interior decoration you can find elements of Baroque and Early Gothic murals. The church also includes a Renaissance bell tower from the 17th century. Thanks to the restoration, today we can admire newly discovered medieval murals, which were restored together with stone elements, altars, pulpits, statues and paintings. During major church holidays, Catholic believers from Modra and the wider area gather in the church.
In the photo: Viktória Purdeková, Dorota Bystrianska, Viktor Voško and Dominik Lukáč. SĽUK dancers presented the Liptov folk costume.
Manor house in Budmerice
A hunting enthusiast, Count Ján Pálffy had this beautiful building built in 1889 with his then 17-year-old wife Alžbeta. It originally served as a hunting lodge. The architecture is based on Renaissance models of French chateaux. The surroundings are completed by a beautiful English park, near which is the Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes. After the death of Count Pálffy, his son Pavol, who had as many as 8 wives, became the heir to the mansion. One of them, Louise de Vilmorin, was the mistress of the famous Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the author of The Little Prince. After the emigration of the last owner in 1945, the mansion became state property and is listed in the Central List of Cultural Monuments. After extensive reconstruction in 2014, the mansion was partially put into operation. In the new year, it will be open to the public again as part of excursions and guided tours.
In the photo Brigita Horváthová and Dominik Lukáč. SĽUK dancers performed the Zemplín folk costume.
Parish Church of St. George
It is one of the most important monuments of St. George. Originally an early Gothic Roman Catholic church from the 13th century, it stands out above the historic core of the city in the part that locals call Neštich. Inside, you will be amazed by the Altar of St. George made of white sandstone from 1527. It depicts the saint as a rider in armor who kills a dragon with a sword, a symbol of paganism. St. George - an early Christian martyr was originally a Roman soldier and Christians worship him as the patron saint of soldiers, blacksmiths, peasants, travelers and miners. Even today, they believe that he will protect them from war and temptations. Other precious monuments in the church are the side altar of St. Bartholomew, the pulpit, the epitaph of Jakub Mordax and Kristof Gardani, a relief of the death of the Virgin Mary, a stone box with a relief of the adoration of the Three Kings. On the eastern wall of the side nave there is a painting depicting Bishop St. Erasmus. Wherever the eye looks, there is a historical gem. The oldest is the tomb (tombstone in the shape of a sarcophagus) of Count George III. from 1467. The tombstone features a relief of a knight - he has a pillow under his head and a lion lies under his feet. In his left hand he holds a sword and in his right a staff with a flag with the family coat of arms.
In the photo Lenka Benčičová and Peter Andel from the Eva Jaczová Dance Conservatory.
Chapel of St. Magdalene
While wandering around the Zochova Chata, you will find places that are a reminder of the mountain people – the Huncokars. They were forest workers, coming from Lower Austria and Styria, who settled the area of the Little Carpathians from the mid-18th century. They took care of the manor forests in the Pálffy district and although they lived scattered in two or three families, a large group of this German-speaking population settled in the Modra – Piesok area. In 1876, they built the chapel of St. Magdalena, where they went to Holy Mass. The biggest holiday for them was January 22, the day of St. Vincent, the patron saint of lumberjacks. Until now, open-air services are held in the chapel in the summer months. The mountain settlement of the Huncokars in the Little Carpathians disappeared after 1945, when part of this population was deported to Germany. What remained of them was the only preserved Huncokár cemetery in the Little Carpathians near Zochova Chata, where else but in the silence of the forest, which was their beloved home for many years.
In the photo, Brigita Stráňavčinová and Frederika Stráňavčinová, dancers of SĽUK in Horehronský folk costume.
Photo: Sandra Bencicova
