THREE things are associated with the name Myjava: a territory in western Slovakia, the river that flows across it, and a town that is a centre of the region.
The town of Myjava was founded quite late, in 1586, by people who had fled Ottoman invaders in southern Slovakia.
A number of secluded farms gradually popped up in the hills around the town. This gave the region a lasting beauty, but the life in these farmhouses was extremely difficult. This is one of the reasons that the residents of Myjava joined the anti-Hapsburg uprisings that challenged the monarchy in the 18th century. And it is also the reason that almost the entire region joined a rebellion led by Jozef Miloslav Hurban in 1848.
This postcard from 1923 shows the river basin before its banks were adjusted and regulated and the name Myjava – Horný konec (Upper end). Such a name, common in villages even today, was given at a time when Myjava was on the verge of becoming a town.
