SLOVAKIA NATURE - Architecture

REJDOVA'S ARCHITECTURE

Folk architecture and crafts have been, mostly in rustic areas, narrowly connected to economical life in upper Gemer region, including Rejdova. Elements of original folk architecture are conserved in several localities.

Its development can also be followed today. You can admire typical wooden houses in the northern part of the Gemer region. The most beautiful of them are in the magic village Rejdova. It is remarkable, that raw brick houses with fewer decorative elements, have not predominated over wooden buildings. You also can notice their typical horizontal arrangement of living space.

Craft production in this region was markedly accompanied with agricultural work, which was the only source of subsistence for ordinary people.

The craft usually passed from a generation to generation in families, mainly at man descendants.

The base of production were local rows: clay, wool, wood, straw, leather, but also a metal. The most known developed folk crafts were: pottery, smithery, cloth processing from sheep wool, bobbin lace, leather processing for shoemakers and wood processing.

Wood is one of the oldest work materials in Slovakia. Forest always has provided enough of it. Skilled craftsmen carved furnishing, interior additions, cradles for children, toys and spoons, bowls for housewives from wood.

Wooden mugs of Gemer style with a dog or shepherd motive, made from one piece of wood were the greatest. Smithery was oriented mainly to production of farmer tools, instruments for households, grates and bells for livestock.

Pottery was concentrated to production of household articles, like pots, jugs, flasks, plates, bowls and decorative articles. Bobbin lace played great role in textile culture. They were: traditional lace and bonnet lace.

Old tradition in the region has a processing of sheep wool to drapery and other woollen products.

The village Rejdova is known by drapery production, exported today to Canada, USA, Japan and many European countries.

Richly embroidered fur-coats decorated by coloured leather pieces were sewn there too.

Great helpers at farmer works were wicker baskets created from willow and roots. This craft activity is a form of living for skilled working people of the region till today.

More folk ensembles keep folk traditions.

Their performances can be seen at the greatest folk festivals in this region, like Gemer Folk Festival in Rejdova, a Year in Gemer - a festival of habits in Gemer and Malohont in Slavosovce, Children Folk Festival in Roznava.