Dům čp. 224 House

Welcome to Štramberk, where history is inserted into every stone and every piece of wood. Right now, you're standing in front of the house with the number two hundred and twenty-four. Look at him. You see before you a typical grafted structure that carries the atmosphere of ancient times. It is a place that immediately takes you back to a time when the rhythm of life was determined by nature, craft and the proximity of neighbors. Feel this first impression from the point of view of a man who would have walked here 200 years ago. This house is not just an ordinary building, but a real witness to the first half of the nineteenth century and a rare piece of history that survived in its original form.

Let us now look at how this house was created and in what context it stood at that time. When exactly was it built? Here we come to a very interesting detail that old papers reveal to us. In the records of the so-called stable cadastral, which was then an official and very detailed overview of the property within the Austrian Empire, the house is mentioned already in the year one thousand eight hundred thirty-three. However, as its date of origin, the year of a thousand eight hundred forty-three is mentioned in other supporting documents. This ten-year expansion tells us that the house was created during the period when suburb Štramberka gradually developed. At that time, the city expanded outside its main centre and it was these buildings that formed the characteristic face of the city's then edge. Today we are no longer talking about any edge, because the house is part B of the valuable city conservation.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself and to what you see right in front of you. Note that this is a ground floor object with a rectangular plan. It's a simple but highly thought-out building. Please look down on the very foundation of the house. You see that low, plastered stone suspect? It plays a very important technical role here. Because Štramberk lies in a mountainous terrain, this stone base equalizes the slope inequality of the terrain. Thanks to it, the house could be built horizontally and firmly, even if the ground is rising or falling below it. It's a beautiful example of how ancient builders adapted to the landscape without violently changing it.

Even though we are now out watching the house from the outside, we can try to imagine how the space is arranged inside. According to historical descriptions, the house has a tripartite, which was a very common and practical solution at the time. Imagine entering. First, you'd be in the hall. The hall was basically an entrance space that served as a link between the other parts of the house and at the same time as a space where one could get rid of mud from shoes before entering cleaner parts of the house. From the hall you could enter the scar. Scar was the heart of home, the biggest and hottest room where the family would meet, eat, work and sleep. And finally, there's the chamber. The Chamber was an essential part of every economy, used to store food, tools and other things that had to be in cold and dark. It is this simplicity and functionality that makes the house no. two hundred twenty-four an example of the original suburban development.

Who designed and built this house? The names of particular architects or masters remained in oblivion, but that is where the magic of this place lies. This house was not built by the famous master of the great city, but probably by local craftsmen who knew their craft and materials offered by the surrounding landscape. Imagine the people who lived here 200 years ago. What were the conversations in the scar? What smells from the food chamber were they pouring into the hall? Although we do not know the specific names of the personalities who lived here, the house itself tells the story of the daily lives of the people of Štramberka, their hard work and how they built their homes in accordance with the surroundings. It's a story about anonymous people who, together, have created a unique atmosphere throughout the city.

The interesting thing that may interest you and which gives this place some importance is that the house is now registered as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic. That means the state has recognized its irreplaceable value for our shared history. It is not only because of its age, but mainly because the house No. 200 24 retains its original form and character. Today, when buildings are constantly changing, modernising and often losing their souls, such an object is a rare piece of reality. It's like an open book about what the suburbs of a small town looked like in the nineteenth century. You may be interested in the mystery mentioned with the date of origin. Why is the year one thousand eight hundred thirty-three in the cadastral, but as the date of origin the year one thousand eight hundred forty-three? Maybe the house was built gradually, maybe in the year one thousand eight hundred thirty-three it was only designed or started its foundation, and up to ten years later it was definitively completed. Such little differences in records are fascinating to historians because they show that history is not just a dry list of data, but a living process.

Now that you have become familiar with the house no. two hundred twenty-four, I suggest you observe it quietly for a while. Feel the texture of the wood, feel the calm of this place and try to imagine how the world around this house has changed over the last two hundred years. Did this house see the first cars coming? Did he hear the first radio? Did he see generations of kids playing around? This house is a silent observer of time.

Štramberk has many other hidden treasures waiting for your discovery. Each house here tells its own story, and although some of them are not as well documented as this one, they all together form the mosaic of our heritage. So let's move on slowly and explore the other corners of this beautiful city, which will still surprise you with its authenticity and beauty. Thank you for the attention you have given to this modest but rare house, and I wish you a pleasant continued journey along the streets of Strutber.