A Békés Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei 2. (Békéscsaba, 1973)

Sisa Béla: A békéscsabai szlovák tájház

Slovak Folklore Múzeum in Békéscsaba BÉLA SISA In the resettlement of Békéscsaba, which had been completely destroyed during the Turkish occupation of Hungary, an important role was played by settlers from the Slovak highlands. The town of Békéscsaba has paid a tribute to the superhuman work of the Slovaks in the resettlement by converting one of its most beautiful folk-architectural relics to a múzeum. The building stands at 21 Garai St. The house was built for András Csankó, and according to the plaster decoration on the face the date of the conclusion of the building was 1865. The master-builder is not known. The ground-plan lay-out and the heating arrangement make the house one of the most developed examples of the type of house characteristic of Central Hungary and the Great Plain. The house at 21 Garai St. is a typical porched building of Békéscsaba. In its present form it contains only part of the unified state it was in in 1865; this is due to the division of the ground-plot which took place later. The reconstruction of the stables and the outbuildings could not be carried out as these now lie outside the boundaries of the plot. The ground-plan lay-out : room, kitchen, room, closet. From the porch running along the wall facing the court-yard open another closet, the entrance to the cellar and the entrance to the attic. A porch was built in front of the house. In the course of the restoration as a monument the planner aimed at re-establishing the 1865 state within the present boundaries of the plot. One of the tasks of the restoration was the static strengthening of the building. The demolished free-chimney was reconstructed on the basis of a similar example, as was the stove in the back room in accordance with that still present in the front room. The heating arrangement in the free-chimneyed kitchen was restored on the basis of examples still existing today. The decorative colouring of the heating arrangement and the decoration of the ceilings of the closets was carried out by Károly Gaburek, in accordance with the guidance of elderly Slovak women of Békéscsaba, on the basis of traditional examples. The more modern brick pillars of the porch were demolished and the original carved wooden porch was restored. The deteriorated mortar decorations and columns of the gable were replaced with special attention. The fence and the gate were reconstructed on the basis of analogous examples. The planner of the reconstruction was László Borbola, an architect (Békéscsaba Council Planning Enterprise). The restoration as a monument under his direction was performed at a high level. The restored building can therefore be listed among the best folk-monuments in Hungary. The furnishing of the house was the work of Dr. György Tábori, and recalls the dwellings of the more well-to-do Slovak householder in the second half of the 19th century. 185