PICTURED in this photograph from 1938 is the building of the new parsonage in the village of Lutiše near Žilina. The then parson, Vincent Kráľ, sent the postcard to Bratislava. In the text on the back, the priest writes about the reluctance of state authorities to launch the construction of bridges and a road in Lutiše. This is an interesting fact that confirms the reputation of this mountain region as one of the poorest in the country.
The predecessor of the parsonage in this postcard was located above the former church. This arrangement was not common, as the church was usually the dominant building in a village, and typically built on higher ground. The previous parsonage stood there until October 28, 1928, when it fell victim to a huge fire that destroyed almost all of Lutiše.
The original church from 1788 was wooden, and it stood above the village until 1907, when it collapsed. A new church was erected in Lutiše that same year. The church was built quickly and all had seemed to go well until workers began to disassemble the scaffolding. As soon as the scaffolding was removed from the tower, it began to lean, and tragedy was averted only by the parish cook, whose warning allowed workers to jump clear.
The tower was rebuilt, this time successfully: it has remained standing to this day.
3. Jun 2013 at 0:00 | By Branislav Chovan