Spissky Hrhov - History

The earliest settlements in the village area date back to the Stone Age/Neolithic era, 450 B.C. Slavonic tribes began to settle in the area before the 9th century and they have dwelt in the area since The Great Moravian Empire(9th-10th century)in at least three settlements, probably administered from the fortified settlement at Drevenik. The first written records about the village(Slovak village) originate from 1243 when it became the seat of a prominent Spiš family of colonisers who were later given a title of nobility based on the name of the village -Gergew or De Gergew. They owned the village until 1885 when all their property was bought by Vidor Csaky, a prominent Hungarian nobleman whose family lived there until November 1944, when the whole family moved to Austria. A new manor house, chapel, large farmyard, distillery, brickfield and other buildings were built during their lifetime in the village. At the turn of the century, specialists in agriculture from Saxony, today‘s Germany, were called to Hrhov, to introduce modern technology in cattle breeding, horticulture and other crafts. Since the village of Spišský Hrhov lies at the crossroads of the former main roads, considered to be a very convenient geographical location, it had the great advantage of receiving new ideas from different parts of Europe influencing the various handicrafts. Nowadays the whole of Slovakia is in the process of restoring the manufacture of local handicrafts, and the highly favourable conditions are conducive to their, restoration and preservation in Spišský Hrhov due to its rich history in folk/vernacular handicraft.

SPISSKY HRHOV · HISTORY