Slovakia Local Customs

  Jánošík country?
by GentleSpirit
 
  • Jánošík country?
      Jánošík country?
    by GentleSpirit
  • Zlaty Bazant - Restaurant sign
      Zlaty Bazant - Restaurant sign
    by HORSCHECK
  • Zlaty Bazant - Historic tram
      Zlaty Bazant - Historic tram
    by HORSCHECK
  • Twin city: Wuppertal
      Twin city: Wuppertal
    by HORSCHECK
  • Signpost in Kosice
      Signpost in Kosice
    by HORSCHECK
 

Most Viewed Local Customs in Slovakia

101.

Cuisine and Beverages   Bratislava

Cuisine and Beverages, Bratislava

 23 Reviews  On my trips to Slovakia I always tried some of the local beers. One of my favourite Slovak beers is the lager of Zlaty Bazant (Golden Pheasant). The brewery was founded in 1967 in Hurbanovo, and is... 

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102.

Culture and Regular Events   Bratislava

Culture and Regular Events, Bratislava

 16 Reviews  Bratislava Music Celebrations :) sounds stupid but in Slovak it is Bratislavske hudobne slavnosti and it is worth to see. There are many great musicians and good music every year in the end of... 

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103.

Behaviors   Bratislava

Behaviors, Bratislava

 13 Reviews  Hi, since I came here I noticed people from abroad like me may actually get confused by the Slovak language cause they say "Ano" to say Yes and "Nie" to say No. So sometimes they are replying to you... 

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Eastern Monday in Slovakia - Sibacka :)

by Skipka

This part of the year is mainly hated by female population :) let me explain you why...Generally, there are more ways how to practise this custom but there is also difference in celebrating Eastern according the religion. Mainly roman catholics celebrate it like anywhere in the world while Orthodoxes a little bit later. There are similar customes such as Lenten season but what is really special is Eastern Monday. In the early morning all male population get up and prepare their whips and bottle of water and make a procedure that they love :) Beating females by that whip while saying a short rhyme and then pour water on them. Well, this is typical for Western part of Slovakia while in Eastern there is just pouring by water. If you are female in this day you should be flinged into creek if there is some.. so be careful and not felt that Slovak men are rude...Then when the procedure is over...

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Slovak hero - Janosik

by Skipka

Real historical facts proved that Janosik was born in Terchova in 1688, he (youngster full of ideals)joined Rakoczy's uprising against Habsburg. In 1708 he was forced to join Emperor's army because he was captured. In the same timein jail he knew Uhorcik - his fellow -and helped him to escape in 1710. He needn't to escape because his father paid the fees and enfree him.Since 1711 he was known as the leader of padders. From the historical annals is known that he was really trustful and honest person but the group of padders wasn't the same. There were some accidents and one of them caused the death of a priest what played really big role when he was captured by "police". Tortures and bad conditions in jail situated in Vranovo in Palugay Palace weakened Uhorcik who told everything to the police to escape tortures. On the other hand, Janosik didn't and he told them just the names of dead...

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Christmas on table...

by Skipka

Little cakes, cookies or strudeln, all these sweets are on our table in Christmas time. But I would like to mention some local customs that maybe more Slovaks don't do but I am used to it. There before this special dinner mentioned above, we save carp scute to the napkin for lucky and happy year, all dishes must be on the table, while you begin to eat you can't stand up and go away.. it brings bad luck. Before dinner there are prays and reading from the Bible ... so you can light candles, turn on the special music and Dobru chut (Bon appetite)...

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Janosik in film 2

by Skipka

Nevertheless, Palo Bielik as famous Janosik directed documentaries and later made third version of Janosik that wasfilmed in Koliba Studios 1962-63 as 250. anniversary of Janosik's Death. This was finally a true legend, great historicalfresco partly action film. This version belongs to the treasures of Slovak cinematography. Another treasure dealing with Janosik's theme is anime film of Viktor Kubal named "Zbojnik Jurko"(Padder Jurko). It depicts realistic fairy tale :) social motifs but all with a great sense of humor. Kubal got many prizes for this film in e.g. in Teheran,Montecatini, Gijone, Lyon etc... It is definitely the best animation film in Slovakia. Kubal also made a film ofBloody Duchess of Cachtice, another great animation film. The parody on Janosik was depicted in film Pacho, hybsky zbojnik, what is my favourite.

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Janosik in film

by Skipka

First Slovak film of Janosik was made with great help of Slovaks who lived in America. Therewas a collection of money for the Tatra Film Corporaiton established by brothers Sinkel in 1920.They collected about 16.000 USD and developed the project to make a film. The first Janosik infilm was Theodor Pistek and there were two versions of the film. American and Czecho-Slovak.What is really interesting the American one ended with happy end while the other not. Mainlythere was created the love story with Janosik's girlfriend Anicka and depicted social oppression.Believe or not, the Czecho-Slovak version dissapeared while the negative of American version wasfound in 1970 in producer's garage. Film Labs Koliba in Bratislava copied 89000 cells of thisnegative and make a sound to it. Well, premiere of this film was in 1921 in Zilina, Praha and Chicago.Nowadays, this film is available with US...

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Christmas in home

by Skipka

The most important day is 24th December when all Slovak families stick together and all members have a special supper. Supper usually consists of sauerkraut soup or fish soup without any piece of meat or sausage followed by fried carp and potatoe salad .. However this varies from town to town, somewhere they have poppy seeds dumplings (pupacky), baked carp etc. What is unique and united in the whole area are "oplatky". This very thin bisquit is made especially in before-Christmas-time and we eat it like dessert on this special evening. It is covered by honey, chopped garlic, apples and wallnuts. I love it very much. After the dinner we use to open gifts under the Christmas tree so children in Slovakia can sleep well that night :) They believe in little Jesus (Jezisko) not Santa Claus till they discover it is mom or dad preparing the gifts :) This situations shocks many children in the...

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Soups :)

by Skipka

Soup is the main dish in Slovak cuisine and you should try at least three of them. :) First you shouldtry chicken or hen soup that is typical for Sunday dinner (obed in Slovak), then bean soup and sauerkraut soup called kapustnica. The last mentioned has more variants and many Slovaks serve it also for christmas supper (Of course without meat and sausages).

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Language

by Skipka

Slovak is one of the Slavic languages developed from Universal Praslavic language approximately in 6-8th century. Even the recent Slovak proves this fact. The first writing system of the language was developed from old Greek and brought by Konstantine and Methodius from Byzantic Empire. Glagolics was used to save the treasure of language in old breviars and other religious papers. In the periods of 10-12th CT and then 13-15th CT there were many changes in this language and rapid development. Also the alphabet changed and since this time Slovak texts are written in Latin. The recent system used just special symbols for typical Slovak letters. Slovaks as a nation were ruled under Austro-Hungarian Empire, so first serious attempt to codify this language came from Trnava and the codifier Anton Bernolák was a priest who took the grammar and other basics of the "codified" language from western...

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Slovaks are generally warm and proud people

by Matjik

Most younger generations speak fluent, or near fluent, English. Most if not all the population speak more than their native tongue. They are also very traditionalistic and proud, as they should. Once introductions are made, they are going to be one of the nicest people you'll ever meet!

Bryndzove halusky

by Skipka

Well, bon appetit :) dear friends, this isthe unique dish .. Bryndzove halusky means Dumplings and cheese bryndza : )but it is not a cheese like others, it is bryndza... English doesn't support the expression for it. I am sure if Queen Elisabeth or Victoria tried it there should be the name also in English. It consists of potatoe dough dumplings cooked in salty water and later mixed with bryndza and fried Orava bacon ... if you wish you can add also milk cream and drink milk. I don't recommend to drink beer right after the meal :) it shouldn't end with happy end. So, don't forget.. who didn't try this meal hasn't been in Slovakia. The best dish can be found in Tatranska Lomnica anyway :)

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Local traditions and culture in Slovakia

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Bristol Hotel  Kosice

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258 Hotels in Slovakia
 
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Local Customs: Cities in Slovakia
  1. Bratislava Local Customs
  2. Kosice Local Customs
  3. Poprad Local Customs
  4. Trnava Local Customs
  5. Zilina Local Customs
  6. Presov Local Customs
  7. Vysoke Tatry Local Customs
  8. Levoca Local Customs
  9. Trencin Local Customs
  10. Oravsky Podzamok Local Customs
  11. Strbske Pleso Local Customs
  12. Banska Bystrica Local Customs
  13. Zdiar Local Customs
  14. Trencianske Teplice Local Customs
  15. Spisske Podhradie Local Customs
  16. Bardejov Local Customs
  17. Cerveny Kamen Local Customs
  18. Oravska Polhora Local Customs
  19. Zuberec Local Customs
  20. Piest'any Local Customs
  21. Cicmany Local Customs

More Cities in Slovakia

 

Questions and Answers

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Q:  I have to make a bank payment to SLovakia (to buy some coupons from the excellent outdoor adventure company 'Mutton', based in... 

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A: This should be IC, DIC, IC DPH (there are 'haseks' i.e. accents on the 'c', which this internet platform does not process) 

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