Curiosites

Modra | DISCOVER | MONUMENTS AND INTERESTING PLACES | > Curiosites

Curiosities

Alexander Filípek Lookout Tower

Veľká Homoľa above Modra offers enjoyable hiking and lovely views. A new observation tower, built in 2018 and named after one-time forester Alexander Filípek, rises above the area. Alexander Filípek is credited with advancing travel and tourism in the area and for the construction of the Harmónia resort. Modranský Kúgel, as the locals call this hill, is the most distinctive point on the eastern side of this part of the Carpathians. That is most likely the reason this site was chosen to build the first observation tower here in the 19th century. Between 2001 and 2017, thousands of tourists were drawn to Veľká Homoľa to climb up the old wooden tower and take in the views, but the structure of the old tower became unsafe and it was torn down to make way for the new one. The new tower stands at a height of 20.4 metres — 6 storeys. The structure uniquely combines wood and steel, and coupled with the panoramic views of the Podunajská nížina (Danubian Lowland), Biele Karpaty (White Carpathians), the mountains Považský Inovec, Tribeč, and Vtáčnik, the Veľká Fatra range, and the Eastern Alps, it makes for an unforgettable experience on your trip to the Small Carpathians.

City Tower

Construction on this dominant feature, rising above the town centre, began in 1630 and took 5 years to complete. It offered the guardians of Modra a panoramic view spanning far and wide and allowed for communication between the three gates and the bastion. The building is 55 metres high; from the terraces of the tower, at a height of 25.5 metres, you can see the diverse territory of Modra, the historic fortifications, the winegrowers’ houses and gardens, the dominant features of Modra, and the festivities that take place in the streets during Vinobranie (Wine Festival). There are six bells and a clock in the tower that can be seen from all four directions.

The Chapel of Saint Barbora once stood on the site of the present-day church. In 1634, it was rebuilt into a larger church in close proximity to the tower. The width of the church was equal to the width of the tower. You could walk around each structure separately from all directions. In 1869, they began to demolish the church and, in its place, they built a new church, the one you see there today. It subsumed the tower building, so today they stand as a single sacral structure.

Historical Town fortification

Like other winegrowing towns, Modra was granted the status of royal free town, meaning it was directly subordinate to the monarch beginning in 1607. For this, the town paid a one-off sum of 6,000 guldens and an annual fee of 640 guldens. Unlike neighbouring towns, Modra was not required to pay this tax to the monarch in kind (with their best quality wines), which they were most grateful for when there was a poor harvest.

For the town and its residents, this status brought not only privileges (such as in the judiciary), but obligations as well. Privileges, such as participation in sessions of the regional parliament in Bratislava and limitations on privileges for foreigners and non-residents of the town that would be detrimental to Modra, were balanced by the imposition of obligations, such as the requirement to build city walls. Makeshift walls built in the 16th century were replaced by a fortification system built between 1610 and 1646. The older fortification consisted of trenches, ramparts, and three gates. The most important defensive structure was the ‘Red Tower’ – the bastion (which today houses the Ignác Bizmayer Gallery), which protected the town on the western side. Three gates protected the entrance to the inner town: the Pezinok Gate and the Upper and Lower Gates. The Upper Gate still stands and is one of the dominant features of Modra, frequently symbolising the town.

Of the original 2,300 metres of wall, 1,680 have been preserved and are being gradually restored. When visiting Modra, be sure not to miss Komunitná záhrada (community garden) at 59 Štúrova street, which will take you to the wall fortification system in the eastern part of the town where you will see how they are slowly being turned into the pride of Modra.

Observatory

The astronomical and geophysical observatory is a professional research and educational facility. It can be reached in roughly 20 minutes on the hiking trail from the car park at Zochová Chata–Piesok. The telescope located here has discovered over 160 asteroids, the most in all of Slovakia. Built for the astronomists at Comenius University, construction began in 1985 and was completed in 1992. Today, it houses two telescopes: the older one was transferred here from Skalnaté Pleso and has discovered nearly 200 asteroids, and the newer one is used to monitor space debris. The observatory is open to visitors every Sunday afternoon.

Štúr´s Bench

Ľudovít Štúr is known as the father of the Slovak language. He was born in Uhrovec in 1815, but he lived the majority of his life in Modra, where he died in 1856. Štúr’s life was linked with politics, literature, education, an aversion to alcoholism, and unfortunate love affairs.

In Modra, you can visit the places where Ľudovít Štúr went to think, where he lived, and where he went on his last hunting trip. When he sought peace and quiet, he visited the Holombecká dolina (valley), where he would sit beneath a huge chestnut tree. Not quite one hundred years later, a travertine bench was installed at this spot in his honour. That is how this place became known as Štúrova lavička (Štúr Bench), and although the monument is no longer here, it remains a favourite spot to visit for Modra residents and tourists alike. It is tucked away in the forest, and the path leading to it runs through the forest and across the stream.

The Harmónia Villas

For locals in particular, Harmónia is a favourite place to take a stroll; in the past the area boasted woodlands, meadows, and fruit trees. The forestry service was headquartered here, and there was a road to the Huncokár settlements and from there to the Záhorie region. In 1868, the town elected Alexander Filípek as the new forester and he began planting coniferous trees and building footbridges, footpaths, and rest spots. This attracted a growing number of sightseers who were in need of lodging, which sparked the idea to build a resort here. That idea was given approval in 1884. The first villa built was Harmónia, then came Ilona, Irén, Etelka, and others. The town let the land for free or for a small fee, which ensured that new villas would continue to be built. An observation tower was built on Uherský vrch (Uher hill) and was named after A. Filípek. A dance hall was built and became a popular spot among the well-heeled crowds from Bratislava, Vienna, Budapest, and Modra townsfolk as well.

Winemaking School

The buildings located in the area known as Dolné predmestie (Lower Suburb), house the winemaking and fruit-growing vocational school. The school dates back to 1884, when Jonáš Fülep, the president of the Association of Bratislava Winegrowers, established the School of Winemaking and Horticulture in Bratislava. It was established in response to the problems with grapevine diseases caused by phylloxera and Peronospora, but there was also a need to modernise winegrowing and winemaking. The state began providing funding for the school in 1900, and the school was relocated to Modra in the 1920s. For this reason, the state purchased land to grow grapes and fruit trees, along with the manor house of Polczer the knight (which today is owned by the Bratislava Self-Governing Region and is home to the Malokarpatské osvetové stredisko (Small Carpathian Educational Centre).

Apart from being the only one of its kind in Slovakia, the Vocational School of Winemaking and Fruit-Growing in Modra is also one of the oldest vocational schools in the country.

Zámčisko

This archaeological site, situated above Harmónia, remains very popular with hikers in the forests around Modra. It is easy to access on the trail along the ridge of this hill by following the blue and yellow trail markers.

The exact age of the site is unclear, but the oldest construction phase took place in the Late Bronze Age during the Hallstatt culture (approximately 700 BC). It was also important during the period of the Great Moravian Empire, as well as after it fell in the early 10th century, when it was used as a refuge in times of peril. The hillfort provided a panoramic view, making it easy to monitor the area between today’s towns of Pezinok and Častá.

Various artefacts have been unearthed here, including an iron knife, Slavic vessels, plough blade, coulter, flint and steel, spurs, and keys.

Today it is a tranquil place with magnificent views of Modra.