Strecno Castle - Medieval village of Paseka - Zilina - Cicmany

Route: Banska Bystrica - Strecno Castle - Medieval village of Paseka - Zilina - Cicmany - Banska Bystrica
Duration: 7 h
Our first stop in this tour will be at the Strecno Castlewhich is situated on top of the limestone rock. In the past it was the safest fort in the Povazie region. The castle was mentioned for the first time in 1384 in a phrase Comitatus castri Strechyn, i.e. estates of the Castle of Strečno. Based on indirect written reports it can be assumed that the Castle already existed in the first half of the 14th century. It was to safeguard the toll collection at a ford through the Vah river.  In the course of the centuries, the Castle was extended and altered several times, whereas it had the largest area in the 17th century when it reached the status of the castle with best fortifications in the region of Stredné Považie. The Castle of Strečno is an indispensable part of the landscape scenery of the Mala Fatra mountains and the castle rock and the path above the Castle provide a beautiful view of the Strečiansky priesmyk mountain pass, Domašínsky meander and a great part of the Zilinska basin. Next we will visit to the medieval village of Paseka is located in the castle grounds of Strečno. The complex, built with according to period medieval buildings, consists of five small, fully equipped wooden houses with thatched roofs. you will see the house of a medieval baker, fisherman, folk healer and shelter for pilgrims. The village also has a functional bell tower and a well. Next we will visit to Zilina which is the metropolis of the north-west of Slovakia, a town at the confluence of three rivers - the Vah, the Kysuca and the Rajcianka, and the fourth biggest town of the Slovak Republic. The first reference to the territory of Žilina as we know it today is from 1208 and it is referred to as "terra de Selinan" (Zilina territory). King Charles I. Robert of Anjou granted the town economic liberties in 1321. The privilege was to ensure the right of parity representation in the town council for Slovak burghers living in Žilina that would be equal to that of the German population of the town with whom the Slovak burghers had a dispute concerning the equal participation of Slovaks in the town council, as the Slovak population had a majority in the town. Town Book of Žilina is another valuable archive, linguistic and historical document of European importance. Its origin can be traced back to 1378. Historians consider this unique book to be a very precious written relic as it contains the oldest written entry in the Slovak language in the territory of Slovakia. Our walking tour we start from along Kysucka Street see Kalov and Remeslenicky dom art nouveau style building, visit to the Church of St. Barbara important historical monument in baroque style, continue walk to Synagogue, Rosenfeldov Palacewhich looks  like miniature of the Vienna chateau Belvedere, will see the Catholic House, Slovak National Theater, Czechoslovak Commercial Bank building, Zilina University in past Austro-Hungarian Royal school, Hodzova street, Marianske Square, Zilina Town Hall, Jesuit Closter with the church of St. Paul, Bottova street, Babuskov House, Municipal theater, Parish Church of St. Trinity & Burian Tower. Next by the way to Banska Bystrica we will visit to the typical village Cicmany which is famous for its original log houses with the typical white ornamentation. The unique and characteristic element of log houses in Čičmany are their exteriors ornamented in geometrical pattern. The authors of ornaments, as rule, were women who originally adorned only the corners of houses first with mud and later with lime. However, since the 19th century the motifs were added and painted all over exteriors of not plastered log houses. The painting was intended to protect the logs against the effect of sunrays. Geometrical ornamentation was also used in embroidery applied to garments, pictures or tablecloths.
Price: per person