Wanderings in Liptovský Ján

After his death, the property was to be divided among his four sons – after the division, the manor house came into the hands of two of them – Ján X. Svätojánsky and Michael VIII. Svätojánsky. The manor house was later named “Adamovszka” after the grandson of Michael VIII. Svätojánský, Adam V. Svätojánský. Adam’s son, Gabriel IV. Svätojánsky had probably converted the manor into a mansion house. The mansion house fell into the hands of a relative – Gabriel XIII. Svätojánsky. His son, Eugen I. Svätojánsky inherited it. He was born and also died in the village Liptovský Ján. After 1948, it is owned by the municipality and serves as a cultural centre.A nice orchard with a slightly mineralized well was located around the mansion. In the past, there were rumors that an underground passage led from the manor to the Hrádok fortress, which served as an escape passage against the invasion of the Turks and Tatars.

Long after that, in 2016, a major renovation took place and the dilapidated mansion became a prosperous Cultural Centre with the information centre. Theatrical performances and other events are held here, which entertain and unite the citizens of Liptovský Ján village.

There are two opinions about the origin of the church building. In a church written document, it is said that it was built by religious believers. In other historical materials, it was built by the king himself. The church was dedicated to St. John the Baptist, according to which the village was also named St. John – Liptovský Ján. Richer counts, landowners and people from better families were buried in the crypt built under the church. The entrance to the crypt is in front of the altar and is closed by a stone hatch. The crypt was last opened in 1913 at the request of a Roman Catholic priest. After its opening, the bodies of the dead were almost intact as if embalmed – this is attributed to the effects of sulphurous mineral water found in these places. Rare sculpture of Madonna is placed on the main altar from 1470, which was rebuilt in 1735 (it is the cross altar of the crucifixion). In 1823, the old organ from the town suburb called Okoličné was transported to the church – this valuable antique monument is also included on the list of cultural monuments.

In 2019, a complete reconstruction began, during which a stone pastophorium was discovered. The Monument institution of the Slovak Republic named is as the Discovery of the Year. In 2023, the church won the prestigious Fénix award – Cultural Monument of the Year” award for the complex restoration of the national cultural monument. SPP Foundation Award awarded the church for the most beautiful, restored church referring to the highest number of votes received in the public’s internet vote.

Later, Michal X. Svätojánsky had a mansion built on this land, which he acquired after the death of the direct descendants of Žigmund I. His son Ladislav VI. Svätojánsky became a count in 1693. This count branch died out with Ladislav’s son, count Jozef II. Svätojánsky.
Joseph II. Svätojánsky, however, sold or transferred the manor to a relative, Francis VII. St. John’s Day. In his time, the manor house was referred to as the “upper manor house”, in the 18th century he had it rebuilt in Baroque style for 300 guilders. He had two younger brothers, Michael XVIII. Saint John and Vlk II. St. John’s. The brothers took advantage of the fact that their brother participated in the regional assembly of nobles in Bratislava (1728) as a Liptov sub-prefect, occupied the mansion and divided the property without his participation.

The “Upper Manor” fell to Michal when František returned from the Diet, the brothers did not want to let him into their own manor. It went to such an extent that the see had to intervene to make the disobedient brothers give up their claims. It is obvious that the mansion was not primarily intended for living. Over the years it housed a casino and the building was used for entertainment purposes, stately weddings and balls. Later it was owned by the Jewish community, since 1914 the mansion was the property of citizens Ján Kubovčík and Čúrny. Most of the floor is occupied by a hall with a wooden ceiling, which was once a Jewish prayer room, and in the adjacent rooms a Jewish school. Municipal meetings were held here, in the years 1918-1957 volunteers used the space for theatre performances.

Currently, the mansion is used for individual recreation.

In 1860, the manor belonged to Jozef XXIV. Svätojánsky senior, who contributed to the development of the High Tatras. He saved the family branch from extinction by adopting his illegitimate son Jozef Klima. He built Grand Hotel Thermal and the spa Svätojánske kúpele in Liptovský Ján.

The guests who came here loved walking through the beautiful nature. While doing so, they saw the village women soaking flax and their feet in the warm springs. They began to imitate them and really felt a sense of relief. After that, they bathed in the whirlpools completely. After regular baths came relief and good sleep. Locals have been treating rheumatism and skin diseases with this water for a long time and they liked to drink it, because it was good for the digestion.

The part art of the spa complex was the Grand Hotel Thermal with the restaurant. There was a doctor’s office in the treatment part of the spa. Wraps were made after each bath and the patients rested wrapped in beds. In addition to these spa treatments, the spa master gave them a massage, pedicure and manicure.To promote the spa, the postcards were sold and the posters invited clients to the spa. At the crossroads to Liptovský Ján, there was a two-meter wooden policeman pointing to Svätojánske Teplice spa.

The period from 1929 to 1936 was a period of the spa boom and prosperity. However, when the owner began to lose political power, the spa began to decline economically. After political changes, the spa went bankrupt and was taken over by the state in 1937. Currently, the building houses a special elementary school.

Since there was no evangelical church originally in Liptovský Ján village, believers went to the distant churches in Paludza town suburb and some to the village Hybe. Mainly on anniversaries and church celebrations, they went there in the wagons, but also on foot, mostly only in good weather. At the time of the imperial troops victory, there were difficult times of persecution of the evangelicals. It culminated in the trial of evangelical priests and teachers in 1673.

The church received land for the church, parsonage and evangelical school from the Szentivanyi family, who became the patron of the newly founded evangelical church. The foundation stone was laid in October 1783, the church was completed within two following years. The costs were calculated at the amount of 1944 gold coins and 46 red cents so called grajciare.

On October 5th, 1907, at eight o’clock in the evening, a big fire broke out in the village, which lasted until the morning. Unfortunately, the church was reduced to ashes, only the baptistery, a black flag and a gilded chalice from 1706 were saved. The fire broke out in one of the family houses at the Dúbravcovci family near the wooden evangelical school. The school started to burn from it and consequently the church and rectory from it. The fire was started intentionally. The arsonist was supposed to be Ján R., who was caught by a military patrol. The innkeeper J.M. and the evangelical pastor Samuel P. were named as accomplices. However, they were not accused of the crime, so they were freed. Religious citizens decided to build a new church. The remains of the old church were rebuilt in 1907-1909 according to the projects of Juraj Kossut from the town Poprad.

Many years later, in 2001 to 2002, various disputes and disagreements began to take place in the evangelical church. Well-started cooperation and generally prosperous activity was disrupted. However, the situation soon returned to common order and the services to God in the Evangelical Church have their regular visitors.

The Renaissance manor stood until the end of the 16th century; its builder was probably Gašpar VII. Svätojánsky. Professor Martin I. Svätojánsky was probably also born here. He was one of the most important personalities of Hungarian – Austrian monarchy in the 17th century. The manor was also nicknamed the “lower manor Nižni dwuor ” and from the beginning of the 18th century it belonged to three sons of Vlk I. Svätojánský. Two of them, Michal XVIII. Svätojánsky and Vlk II. Svätojánsky, inherited the mansion.

In the mansion, there are two large halls on the ground floor, which were used for the family meetings referring to the important decisions concerning common management of the assets. In the wooden beams on the first floor there are two embrasures, which served as the defensive towers against the enemies Turks and Tatars in the past. For many years, the manor was owned by the citizens. It got its usual nickname “Špilberk” (the same name as the prison in Brno) from schoolchildren who attended the elementary evangelical school.

After Peter’s death, his son Mihal XIV Svätojánsky owned the manor. He attacked the adjacent manor house (Némešovsko-Bárnovský manor) in 1690. At that time, it belonged to his father’s brother Matej II. Later, the manor was inherited by Michal’s oldest son, Alexander IV. Svätojánsky. Alexander’s grandson, Charles VIII. Svätojánsky had the old manor house rebuilt in a classicist style. Charles was the father of Jozef XXVI. Svätojánsky junior.
A wooden building once stood opposite the manor together with two other wooden buildings that were part of the farmyard. The eastern part of the building was intended for representational purposes, the western part for living. At the beginning of the 20th century, the internal floor plan was severely devasted, when several families moved into the building (the Mlynček family and the Šmid family, …). Grocery shop – cooperative was placed in the front part.

In 2023, the front facade was reconstructed, during which the original inscriptions of the former store were found.

The manor subsequently passed into the hands of the youngest son of John X. Svätojánský – George II. Svätojánsky. George´s great-grandson, Stephen XXIV. Svätojánsky was the initiator of the classicist reconstruction of the old Renaissance mansion into a modern mansion. Maria Svätojánska, the daughter of Stephan XXIV. Svätojánský, inherited the manor from her father and married Eduard I. Podturniansky. The manor is named after him. Later, the manor was bought by Joseph Ceklár, who converted it into a hotel, which was nationalized after the Second World War. An apprentice school was located here, followed by a special vocational school. In 2002, it was returned to Mrs. Lýdia Ceklárová-Chlebová.

In the past, the mansion carried the name Hotel Ďumbier or Hotel Bernard. Currently the owners have renamed it ” Svätojánsky kaštieľ – St. John’s Mansion” and it still serves as a hotel for the visitors of Liptovský Ján village.