Roubený dům čp. 305 House

Welcome to the beautiful Štramberk, where history intersects with the present in every corner. Stop now and take a deep breath. You're standing in front of the house with the number three hundred and five. Look at him. Before you is a building that is a silent witness of ancient times and which in today's hasty times acts as an anchor of stability and tradition. This house is not just an ordinary building made of wood and stone, it's a living book about how people in this area lived, worked and built their homes almost two styles ago. Feel its atmosphere and note how it naturally fits in the vicinity of Upper Bastha, which now surrounds you with its peaceful history.

In order to understand why this house is so important, together we must go far further back in time than this particular house was built. Imagine Štramberk in the 16th century. According to the old files, specifically according to the so-called urbarian, only twenty-two houses were built in the square around a thousand and five hundred and fifty-eight, which were decorated by wooden arches. The town was small at the time, festering and gradually growing. Several decades later, in the year six hundred and fourteen, the records are already talking about twenty-eight housekeepers, the parish, the church and the school. Štramberk became a community centre. An even greater boom came in the year of a thousand six hundred fifty-six, when the city was administered by the Jesuit Order and the number of houses increased to five and fifty.

This gradual growth of the city brings us to the turn of the century when the materials from which it was built began to change. In the year one thousand seven hundred ninety-nine the first brick house was built in the square, which was at that time a big step forward in the area of security and modernity. And it was during this period of transition, when there were already stone structures, but the tradition of wooden construction was still strong, that the house you are now facing was built. Around the year a thousand eight hundred thirty was completed this blasphemous house number three hundred and five. It was built as part of a suburban development, which means it was located on the edge of the then urban core, where there was more space and where urban life mixed with elements of rural management.

Now I ask you to pay full attention to the architecture of the house itself. Look carefully at the walls. See those distinctive wooden beams? It's a grafted structure that's the foundation of the whole house. Notice the corners of the building. This is where you'll find the so-called marbles. These are precision-worked joints where the corrugated ends of the beams converge to hold the whole structure firmly without using modern nails or screws. It is a craftsmanship that required great patience and knowledge of material.

When your eyes fall below, to the very foundation of the house, you will see the cast stone suspects. This element wasn't just aesthetic. The stone base served as a necessary shield against moisture rising from the ground. If the wooden beams were standing right on the dirt, they would rot very quickly and the house would collapse. This stone foundation therefore ensured that the house will survive centuries in good condition. And underneath your feet is another fascinating detail that you can't see now, but it's good to know about. The house has vaulted cellars. In the nineteenth century, these spaces were key to the survival of the family, because it was cold and dry, allowing long-term storage of food, vegetables or beverages.

Notice also how the house is oriented. Its gutter side runs parallel to the street, which was a practical way to effectively drain rainwater away from the foundations while maximizing the use of space in a narrow street. The house has a so-called tripartite. This means that the inner space was divided into three main parts, which was typical of the then rural and suburban houses. Usually, one part was intended for living rooms, the other for kitchen and economic facilities, and the third for storage or stable. Even though the house serves other purposes today, this basic structure is still dormant in it.

When we think about the people who lived here, we have to realize that their lives were full of toil, but also strong belonging to the place. Although we don't know the names of the particular personalities who lived in this house, we know they faced great challenges. One of the biggest trials for Štramberk was the year of the thousand eight hundred and fifty-five. Think of the flames, the smoke and the panic that must have flown through the city. In that year, a devastating fire broke out, burning up to 40 houses and two barns. By the time most of the building was wooden, fire was the greatest enemy. It is fascinating and at the same time amazing that it was this house number three hundred and five that survived the fire. The fact that you stand before him today is proof of his resilience and perhaps the happiness that accompanied his people.

This house is now part of the city conservation for a very good reason. It represents the original suburban development, which has preserved its authenticity. Nowadays, when houses are often rebuilt and their original character disappears beneath layers of modern materials, this grafted house is like a precious jewel. It's a genuine original that allows us to look into the past without distortion. It is a place where time has stopped and where we can feel what Štramberk looked like in times when the rhythm of the day was determined by the sun and seasonal work in fields and workshops.

The interesting thing that may interest you is the combination of modesty and functionality. The house is not decorated with any spectacular elements, it has no statues or expensive ornaments. Its beauty lies in the trueness of the material and in the simplicity of the solution. It's an architecture of need where each element had a clear purpose. It is this sharpness that makes house number three hundred and five such an important monument. It's a reminder of a time when a man built a house so that his children and grandchildren could live in it, too, and he did it with respect for nature and available raw materials.

Now that you've seen the details of the grafting, the stone foundation and imagined life in the nineteenth century, I suggest you stop quietly for a while. Try to imagine the sounds of the Upper Bashta street centuries ago. Riding cars, calling neighbors, the sound of a hammer in one of the nearby workshops. This house heard it all.

Thank you for accompanying me in this brief view into the history of the grafted house number three hundred and five. I hope this visit has helped you better understand the spirit of Štramberk and its architecture. We now invite you to explore this beautiful city again. Go through the surrounding alleys, look for more clues of the past and be inspired by the atmosphere of this unique place. I wish you a pleasant continued journey and many new discoveries. Goodbye.