An insight into Slovakia by Luca Trifiletti
The New York Times, BBC News, and news media worldwide wrote enthusiastic articles about a unique place that makes Slovakia a special country: the Love Bank.
What is that? How does it work? More importantly, why?
I will explain, but first a warning: this love story has a not-so-happy ending.
Slovaks are not romantic. Whether you mean it as the artistic movement originated in the 18th century, or the informal meaning that we give to the term, “sentimental”, romanticism is about originality and breaking the rules. It is subjective, it lacks practicality, and its expressions can be violent and dramatic, sometimes ridiculous. And Slovaks are the opposite of ridiculous, they are usually practical, fond of their traditions, mostly conservative about rules and social conventions. They don’t like eccentricity and drama. Romanticism is not considered a typically Slovak trait.
But here’s the thing, Slovaks are no stranger to love. They have their ways of expressing it, but they get passionate, they recognize love, and there’s no shadow of a doubt that they celebrate it. The proof is that this very month, May, is the month of love in Slovakia.
1st of May is a public holiday, as in many countries. But even though it is officially the Labour Day, the reality is that Slovakia celebrates lovers, not workers. Couples have dates, and flowers blooming all around seem to agree that this is a much better period than Valentine’s Day. Maypoles (decorated with colorful ribbons, pieces of paper with loving messages, sometimes women’s clothes, and even toys) are erected in the main square of towns and villages. It’s a happy event, and the May tree (“máj”, in Slovak) symbolizes unity and protects the community from bad luck and scarcity. If you visit Slovakia in these days, try to rummage through those notes, to find some handwritten gems dedicated to spouses and crushes (the best ones are by kids). Because in the old
times the “máj” was a promise of love and fidelity, that the lover placed in front of the house of the girl they wanted to impress.
And although it is a medieval tradition, it is far from dead. In fact, it is very lively, with celebrations taking place throughout the whole country. Even here in Bratislava, the capital and the largest city, “majales” is a popular festivity, taking place in the first half of May with an open-air festival, free concerts, and cultural events, on the meadows on the southern bank of the Danube.
Truth be told, this kind of ceremony exist in many European countries, and they are not an exclusive Slovak custom. But Slovaks are especially good at preserving traditions, and their enthusiasm is visible in the costumes they wear and in the folk music they play during these events. In some cities, like Brezno and Lendak, variations of these rituals take place during weddings. Old-fashioned, surely, but characteristic and sweet: this is the Slovak way. And there is something even more characteristic and sweet: the Banka Lásky.
The world’s only Love Bank! And here we are, back to the reason why the international press takes an interest in Slovakia and its relationship with love. The historic mining town of Banská Štiavnica is a UNESCO World Heritage site in central Slovakia and the hometown of Marína. Marína’s name is renowned because, in 1844, the romantic poet Andrej Sládkovič dedicated to her the longest love poem in the world, recognized by the World Record Academy. For this reason, her house was turned into a museum with an interactive exhibition, to eternalize the poem, the unfulfilled love between Andrej and Marína, and the concept of love itself. And it became a love bank: a gorgeous vault, whose walls are decorated with (and made of) the written lyrics of the poem, containing thousands of safety deposit boxes. The boxes can be bought or rented, and people from all around the world use them to store a keepsake, a message, or a small object, to represent their love. Love for a person, a moment, a family, an animal.
Team Global Slovakia
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