Zliechov. Dadka studied under Strazov. It was marked by both wars - the first and the second world. Still, you feel like a holiday here. Room, beautiful nature and majestic hills. A place that is popular with tourists in the summer and winter, though still unpretentious.

"There, under Straz, on that side,

small garden in stone.

And in that garden of apple tree,

Marienka put her there, "

singing in one of many folk local folklorists from Zliechov. Above the village stands Strazov Hill. High is 1213 meters and bears a name derived from the Strazovské vrchy. Cadastral belongs to the village Zliechov, although it extends to the border of several districts - Ilava, Púchov, Považská Bystrica, Prievidza and Žilina. "We've never been hurt. Historically, Strážov Zliech was always a historian. We have 5475 hectares of land. Also, large municipalities are not, "says the mayor of Anton Miko. "Kosecke Rovna is ours. In the past we also had Gápel. Tristo years have been back to Zliech, but now belongs to Valaska Belej. I was there to celebrate, and the Gavlecans themselves went after me to arrange for them to come back to us. They still feel Zlichovčani, "he continues. "We live very well here. People have always said we are here on vacation. There is a wonderful life. I certainly would not change. "

Life in Zliechov would not change

"I was born in Zliec, this close, in one wood. I live well here, "says Mrs Emília Vašková, who lives near the municipal office. "But I got into the world. They took me to Germany, so I was not alone at home. Well, as they say, everywhere good, at home the best. The man was also Zliechovčan. He had the opportunity to go to Russia, but he did not want to go to the world. He does not leave the family. "The area around Zliechov is also attributed to the occurrence of karst phenomena, such as caves, beaches, slopes and waterfalls. In the Bear Rock there are two such natural treasures: the six-meter Lower Strážov Waterfall and the nine-meter Upper Strážov Waterfall. "We do not have much to offer, just beautiful nature. It is a protected area. We have restrictions because they can not organize outcomes there. They will not allow us to mark Strážov waterfalls. We have good quality water from Strazov. The hill also protects us. The view from him is enchanting, "said the mayor.

"I'm 82 years old and I was once in my life. My husband was going more often. It was also going on in places that were not easily accessible, "says pensioner Emília Vašková, who has been conducting the folk ensemble Zliechov for 35 years. "Until the seventy. Then I had a problem with the crosses, so I left the place for the younger, "she smiles. From his glossy out-of-the-way he pulls out an unusual word, typical of the zlyshovsky spree. "We do not speak, we are told. We use barsky words. There was also a professor who was working with me. She wrote our traditional words. I did something on the paper and I dictated it. Then she gave me my completed work. Her granddaughter has somewhere, "Mrs. Milk continued, with a spark in her eyes. According to her, life in the village has changed for years. "Now it's a whole bit more than 40 years ago. People are not as united as we once were. When I started doing folklore or women, we went to the cemetery, we were singing on the marriages. Now I do not know if anyone would go. But it is the modern age, "Emilia Vaskova is hard.

Skiers, children, cyclists and walkers

When it comes to snow, it is busier in the village than during normal days. "Thanks to the ski resort. Voters belonged to ZŤS, currently owned by private parties. There is no artificial snow, so it opens only at a time when it comes to natural snow. Car columns run along the road from uphill to downhill, "says Mayor Miko.

In the summer months, the surroundings of Strazov are full of hikers and cyclists. "There are more tourists in the summer. Perhaps a hundred cyclists a day. We have a lot of bears now, finding peace. Well, to tell you, big catastrophe, few people. Last autumn, the bears in the garden also grabbed apples from the tree. People are not afraid, they have not done anything to anyone, "said the mayor. In the neighborhood there are also farmers who keep sheep or cows. Zliechov also attends many school children, children. The tradition of schools in nature has remained in the village. "School in nature is run by us, the community. The area once belonged to the Trenčín self-governing region, but he abandoned it. We took it under our wings. Twelve to sixteen weeks a year we are busy. At least we will make it operational, "adds Zliechov's mayor Anton Miko.

The willows fell, the craz live

Zliechov boasts another attraction. Two 400-year-old marshals have already fallen, but the great unique tattoo in the upper part of the village holds. "There is the oldest ash in Slovakia. This tree has a huge circumference of about 7.5 meters, "says Miko. "Go in the direction and shoot it. It's hollow. When we were playing soldiers as children, we hid them, "explains the homewoman who was waiting for the bus in the middle of the village.

In Zliechov it lives not only with tourism but also with traditions. "Every year we organize the killing. We have a feast in August, it's called for indulgences. It's on Vavrinca, who is the patron of our village. These are three-day celebrations. There are costumes in the church, we do various fire brigades, football or table tournaments. We have not been playing soccer in the village for many years, only the old men meet on the court. But we fight in the table tennis in the sixth league. I play this competition too, "he says. From the office to the next room, where they have a memorial room with significant events that marked the village. The costume is out of the box, one of the most beautiful in Slovakia. "It's rare. Rich embroidered. The women of Zliechov were sometimes exhaled, who embraced the more beautiful. I have made this one tailored. I'm dressing him for the festivities, "commended the mayor of the village, which has 587 inhabitants. "In contrast to other regions, we have more colorful colors on costumes. After the First World War, people began to embroider such costumes for young girls at the wedding. On their indulgences and the first holy reception, their people dress and go to the church. I do not know if there is a woman in Zliech who does not have at least one costume. I even have two postponed for my granddaughters, "Mrs. Milka, who has already six bridesmaids, is back in the debate. "I sent my own costumes for the whole family. Even I was chanting like a tint - it slims down, it tastes good. I had a costume from Mom, but then I got it and I did not get it. I had to do it myself. "

Four hundred families have been evacuated after the war

And what do they have in the coat of arms? "We have a bunch of hope and saint Vavrinca," says the mayor. The red color of the shield symbolizes fire, a tool of torture.

There are two churches in the village. One in Košecké Rovniach, the other in Zliec. "We have always been a Catholic community," says the mayor. "We also had a railroad. Ilawa was brought to it. Tracks have not been left behind, people have broken down the track, but we have some information about it. "

The village was marked by wars. Participants in the battles for freedom in the First and Second World Wars are built in the village with memorials. "Part of the village suffered a great fire. The war has been held for a very long time. For these hardships, the commune also received some commemorative medals. More than 400 people moved to the village of Most pri Bratislave. It was a German village, where Germans and Slovaks were deported from Zliechov, Fačkova, Orava. They forced them to move there, "the mayor explains. While people have left the village in the past closer to the main city, the opposite is now the case. "Families from Bratislava have come to us. Retirees sold apartments in the city and bought our cottages. I guess I got stuck for a while. "

text: Radovan Stoklas, Michal Bachratý

photo by Vladimir Rucek