The Town of Štramberk, Moravian Bethlehem in the Foothills of the

REGION Text a foto: město Štramberk www.stramberk.cz The town consists of a labyrinth of narrow, picturesque streets with many log houses, which are, together with other historical objects, part of the municipal sight reservation. The town takes great care of these sights, for which it was awarded the title “Historical City 2019”. In the last three years, the main landmarks of the town were repaired and renovated--the Church of Saint John of Nepomuk, the Trúba Tower and the belfry of the Church of Saint Bartholomew. Among other important notable places, we can list: the National Garden on Kotouč Hill with the world-famous Šipka Cave -- the place of the discovery of part of the jaw of a Neanderthal child; the Zdeněk Burian Museum, dedicated to the world-famous painter of prehistoric times and adventure; Šipka Museum, with geology and archeology expositions; and many more. You can also visit the nearby Church of Saint Catherine. A very popular trail is the Lovers’ Path at the foot of Kotouč. Above it, you can find a small wooden belfry, where there used to be the inscription, “Those who ring my bell will live till their death”. Among other notable places, we can mention the Bílá Hora Observation Tower on the opposite hill, to which the Sun Path leads, decorated with the twelve signs of the zodiac. There are also the botanical gardens and the Kamenárka protected natural monument, a former limestone quarry. You can enjoy wellness in the salt chamber or beer baths. Štramberk is also famous for its coneshaped, sweet-smelling gingerbread pastry “Štramberské uši” (Štramberk ears). The tradition here started centuries ago to commemorate the legendary defeat of the Mongolian army by the Štramberk Christians. Štramberk is a magical place surrounded with legends that has maintained its charm through modern times. POSITIV 4/2020 ǀ 81