“A man can be destroyed but not defeated.” – Ernest Hemmingway
While our friends and family at home were hosting backyard BBQ’s to celebrate Memorial Day, our team visited the Museum of the National Slovak Uprising. Rotary connections were able to secure a private tour for our group, so that we could learn about the events leading up to the Slovak uprising, and the important roles Slovak soliders played in World Wars I and II, and the uprising.
After remembering both the Slovak and US soliders, the group had the honor of meeting the Deputy Mayor of Banská Bystrica, Jakub Gajdošík. He told us about the events happening in the city, including a big independant film festival, taking place that day.
We then took a tour of the town square and important buildings in the city, including climbing the clock tower for beautiful views.
The Church of the Virgin Mary’s Ascension provided a great architectural lesson, as we could see many different styles on the same building.
The city walls, as seen here, were very high, and incorporated holes for weapons.
The next day, we met up with outbound team member Erik, who visited our Rotary district in Pennsylvania. We received a tour of Slovak Public Radio’s Banská Bystrica office, complete with homemade cookies from a co-worker! It was really a great experience to see one of our fellow team members at work. Erik is a radio host.
After an awesome vegetarian lunch, Erik and a co-worker were able to take us to nearby Banská Štiavnica for a hike to the Calvary there. Calvaries were built to bring important moments of Jesus’ passion closer to the people. The one we visited was built in 1744 to 1751, and is currently undergoing restoration, after falling into disrepair during the Communist and Socialist rule. The site and surrounding town were listed as a UN-ESCO World Heritage site in 1993.
For our last evening in town, Rotarian and politician Martin Klus took us to dinner at the Barbican – the former entrance to the castle, constructed in 1512! Once home to a moat and drawbridge, the facility now houses a stylish and tasty restaurant!
A big thank you to the Rotarians of Banská Bystrica for a wonderful stay and a shout out to Erik! We miss you!
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