The cross-road of Civilisation.  Right at the heart of Europe and with a history intertwined with that of its neighbours, Slovakia has proudly preserved its own language and distinct cultural traditions.

Slovakia was part of  Czechoslovakia until the “velvet divorce” in January 1993, when officially the Slovak Republic came into existence.

Although the history of the Slovak people as expressed in the nation state is just over a decade old, Slovaks have existed as a unique entity for over 1500 years.

The development of Slovak culture reflects the country’s rich folk tradition, in addition to the influence of broader European trends.  The impact of centuries of cultural repression and control by foreign governments is also evident in much of Slovakia’s art, literature and music.

In the late 18th century, a national movement began in Slovakia, with the aim of fostering Slovak culture and identity.  One of its leaders was Anton Bernolk, a Jesuit priest who codified a Slovak literary language based on dialects used in Western   Slovakia. In the 19th  century, Protestant leaders Jn Kollr and Pavol Safrik developed a form of written Slovak that combined the dialects used in central Slovakia and the Czech lands.  The linguist and Slovak nationalist L’udovt Str, rejected the Czech influence and set out to develop a more authentic literary Slovak.

Folk art and crafts, which include wood carving, fabric weaving and glass painting, have a long and popular tradition in Slovakia especially in rural areas .  Examples of folk architecture, such as wooden churches and brightly painted houses, are found throughout the country.

Slovak modern art is influenced both by Slovakian folklore and European art, and is represented today by numerous artistic associations.  A Slovak school of painting emerged in the mid-19th and 20th centuries, much of it heavily influenced by western European styles.  Among the well known pieces of Slovakian art is the Venus of Monoravy, dating from the Palaeolithic era, art forms from the stone and bronze age, as well as religious architecture from the Great Moravian Empire.  In Slovakia, artistic tradition in several forms developed long ago.

Music has long occupied an important and distinguished place in Slovak cultural life.  In the first half of the 19th century, a national musical tradition began to develop around Slovakia’s impressive folk heritage.  Modern Slovak music has drawn from both classical and folk styles,  Traditional Slovakian music is one of the most original of Slavic and European folklore.  Its’ oldest form is liturgical (in Slavon) from the time of Great Moravia (9th century) which is the origin of the sacred music of the 15th and 16th centuries.  Today, music is one of the most significant aspects of Slovakian culture.