Dům čp. 99 House

Welcome to Štramberk, where history touches every stone and every piece of wood. Right now, you're standing in front of the house with number ninety-nine, which is on Jaronek Street. The first impression of this building is very cozy and at the same time looks proud. You see a ground-floor building in front of you that takes you far into the past. It is a so-called semi-grafted building with a rectangular plan, which means that its construction combines various ways of masonry and carpentry art. It's a place that carries the serenity of the old days and is an important part of the urban conservation.

Now let's stop at how this house came into being. Look at its foundations and walls. The construction dates back to the end of the eighteenth century, namely the year around seven hundred and eighty. There was an interesting transition in architecture at the time. The older, more decorative style of the Baroque slowly retreated on the way to cleaner and more moderate lines of classicism. It was during this period that the house was built from carved beams that are laid on a low stone suspect. This rock coating was necessary to keep the wood from the moisture rising from the ground. Although today we do not know the names of particular carpenters or builders, their craftsmanship is still visible in this house.

Now pay attention to details that you can observe directly in front of you. Notice the traditional folk character that supplies the janitor. It is the grafted structure that is so beautifully preserved here. Look up on the roof. You can see it's a saddle roof covered with shingles. Shindle, i.e. small wooden plates, is a typical element of old bed and mountain houses in our areas and gives the construction its authentic appearance.

But the most attention deserves the shield of the house. Look closely at the top of it. You see here a boarded shield, which is a way of filling the space between the beams with wooden boards. Note the three-piece window that stands out in the net and allows you to look into the attic. Under the window, you will see a broken and cab. The cabbages are the decorative hem that separates the wall from the roof and serves not only as an ornament but also as a protection of wood from falling water. These elements together form the face of a house that is typical of the popular architecture of the region.

When we look at the history of this house, we must mention even darker moments. Štramberk experienced a big fire in a thousand and eight hundred and fifty-five. It was a disaster that destroyed many houses around here. It is fascinating to realize that this house survived this fire test or was subsequently restored by retaining its original character. In later years, between thousands of nine hundred and thousands of nine hundred twenty-five, the house went through the first major modifications and changes. These interventions were a natural consequence of housing modernisation at the time. Subsequently, in the second half of the twentieth century, from a thousand to nine hundred fifty to the end of the century, further repairs and modifications were carried out to keep the building in good condition for future generations.

Even if we don't find the names of the famous personalities living in this house in the archives, the building itself is a personality. It is listed in the Central List of Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic, which means that the state recognises its irreplaceable value. It is a monument to the daily life of the inhabitants of Štramberk, a testament to how life was lived, how it was built and how it was fought to preserve home.

The interesting thing that might interest you is the combination of materials. Half-grafted construction is basically a compromise between a fully grazed house and a brick building. In such a house, the practicality of the stone was combined with the thermal properties of the wood. When you look at the surface of the beams, you can imagine how many generations of people have touched them and how many stories these walls have heard. It's a silent testimony about craft precision, which is no longer so common today.

Now that you've looked at this beautiful example of a folk building, I suggest you feel the atmosphere of Jaronek Street in silence. Imagine what this place looked like two years ago, when people were walking around in contemporary clothing and the air carried the smell of wood and smoke from the stove. This house is like an open book telling us about stability and tradition.

You can now take a slow step to explore other corners of Štramberk. Every other house in this reservation probably tells you a different story, but this house number ninety-nine will remain in memory as a symbol of care for our common heritage. Thank you for your attention and I wish you a pleasant continued journey to other discoveries in this beautiful city. Goodbye.