Nemčiňany – Church, Vineyards and the Landscape around the Rohožnícky Stream

Nemčiňany lies in the northern part of the Pohronská pahorkatina upland, in the valley of the Rohožnícky stream, on a spur of the Štiavnické vrchy hills. The landscape around the village also includes Kráľová studnička, one of the springs feeding the stream, as well as the surrounding mountains, which are suitable for mushroom picking. If you are looking for a place with clear cultural and historical connections, a winemaking tradition and distinctive natural features for your trip to Slovakia, you will find several separate points of interest here.

Romanesque Core and Baroque Alterations

The most prominent architectural monument is the Church of St Michael the Archangel. Its Romanesque section was completed in 1249. The church is a single-nave building with a semicircular apse and was remodelled in the Baroque style between 1716 and 1720. It is considered one of the oldest churches in the wider surrounding area. A single building thus preserves different historical periods: its Romanesque origins and the later Baroque remodelling.

The surviving historical monuments of Nemčiňany also include the bell tower and the family crypt with its cellar. Well-maintained serpentine paths lead through the mountain park to its summit and to the family crypt of the Kosztolányiovci family. Funding was secured for work on this family crypt, including a new cross, repairs to the crypt's surface, a new enclosure and two information boards. The documented status therefore describes specific preservation measures without presuming that the work has been completed.

Figurine, Winemaking and Chapels

The history of the village also includes the Nemčinianska Venuša. The Nemčinianska Venuša is considered a flat, headless, stylised female idol made of fired clay. Its age was determined to be approximately 5,600 years. The original figurine was discovered in 1982 in the cadastral area of Nemčiňany.

Winemaking is documented by several distinct facts. The Kosztolányiovci family established the first vineyard with noble grape varieties in Nemčiňany. The Dni vína Nemčiňany event is a selected nomination exhibition for the National Wine Salon of the Slovak Republic. A chapel stands in the Rohožnické vineyards of Nemčiňany. A second chapel at the site of the former Nemčinianske vineyard was restored in 2012. The reference to the former vineyard preserves the historical character of this place.

Fishing Lake and Local Tradition

The VN Nemčiňany fishing lake is located near Nemčiňany, covers 3 hectares and is 1.0 to 3.0 metres deep. The lake is home to carp, zander, grass carp, pike, catfish, crucian carp and bream.

In Nemčiňany, the raising of the maypole, Stavanie mája, is regarded as an old spring tradition. Together with the church, chapels, winemaking and the Nemčinianska Venuša, it creates a picture of the village that cannot be reduced to a single attraction: here, you can explore sacred architecture, local memory, the history of winemaking, water and the landscape through distinct themes.

For comparison with other travel destinations, you can also explore Beladice, Červený Hrádok, Volkovce, Topoľčianky, Goldmorawitz, Lovce, Tesárske Mlyňany and Mankovce.

For the broader travel overview: Zlaté Moravce.