(source: By Branislav Chovan)
IN THE north-western part of Záhorie is a municipality with an interesting name – Čáry. The name is in the local dialect and is derived from the word čiara, meaning line. In this case, it refers to the borderline of the municipal territory, marked by a deep furrow or forest path.
Čáry is famous in the region for its vast milling mansion, built on a man-made branch of the Myjava River some time in the 1820s. Several miller families worked here, with the Mandelíks being the most famous. The fame of the Čáry mill lasted until the communists came to power. After the Second World War they closed down private factories and businesses, faithful to the idea that everything should belong to state. As a result, Mandelík’s mill was neglected, and just like numerous other businesses, shops and buildings, it deteriorated. Today, it is a mere ruin.
One important event is connected with the village of Čáry. On September 14, 1902, it was visited by Prussian Prince Wilhelm. He came to practice his hobby, photography, which was unusual for that time.
It is also noteworthy that he chose to photograph Roma living in the forest close to Čáry.
In this postcard from the 1960s, we see the village centre with its church.
