STRÁŽKY

THE VILLAGE

The village of Strážky located near the town of Spišská Belá was founded in the late XIIth century, as one of the defensive settlements guarding the northern borders of Greater Hungary (Slovaquia belonged to Greater Hungary at that time) and securing the road connecting the Spiš region with the Kingdom of Poland.

THE MANOR HOUSE

The Manor-house Strážky is one of the most important cultural monuments of the Spiš region. It was built on the foundations of a Gothic castle allegedly constructed on the ruins of a Knights Templar monastery.

The first better-known aristocratic owners of Strážky were the Berzeviczy family. They acquired it from King Charles Robert in the early XIVth century.








In 1556 Marko Horváth-Stansith de Grade became the new owner of the manor, he was granted Strážky Manor, along with his other proprieties in Spiš, by Ferdinanda I of Hasburg in return for his contribution to the fight against the Turks. Gregor Horvath-Stansith rebuilt the house in the XVth century. He built the renaissance castle, a humanistic school for noblemen's children and a library, which was the best one in Greater Hungary in those days.


The original three-winged building was completed after fire in 1708 following a typical square-shaped ground plan with a square inner courtyard.


The following owners were the Szirmay in 1801.

Baron Eduard Mednyánszky moved to the manor in 1862. He brought there his 10-year son Ladislav, who became a painter of European significance. This artist painted several captivating landscapes with original social components during his stays in the family manor at the foothills of the Tatras.

Then the Czóbel bought the manor house at the end of the XIXth century. After the death of the young Margita Czóbel in 1972, the administration of the Slovak National Gallery became the owners.

It was reconstructed until 1991 and then was opened to the public.

Several exhibitions were placed in the reconstructed building such as a collection of historical furniture and other interior supplements from the 17 - 19th century, an exposition of Ladislav Mednyánszky and Strážky, special exposition of historical books about the history of the village and the manor-house and the history of clans by which it was owned in past.



THE LEGEND OF A TREACHERY

One night, some time in the 16th century, an imperial officer went on horseback from Spiš castle to the forest near Strážky where he met the Lord of Kežmarok castle - Albert Lasky. The imperial officer revealed the route the emperor would use to travel to Poland where he was to go to bring a huge amount of money to Zigmund Luxemburský. Next night the emperor and his men went from Spiš castle to Poland with boots of money. They moved quietly, but Albert Lasky knew when and where the emperor would appear. The emperor was surprised and fought bravely but Albert Lasky's army was stronger. The emperor and his army were killed. As Lasky didn't want to share the money with a traitor, he killed the imperial officer and he stole the entire treasure and all the valuables he could find. The imperial officer was buried near Spiš castle. Archaeologists found gold buttoms in his grave, gold buttons which greedy Albert Lasky hadn't found!