Horné Dubové: Church and Local History

Horné Dubové has a clear focus on local cultural and church history. At its centre is the Baroque Roman Catholic Church of St. Martin, complemented by other statues, historical sermons in the parish archive, and biographies connected to the village. The name of the village and the location of the Jewish cemetery also provide specific points of reference. The topics range from architectural history and religious memorial sites to people who were born or worked in Horné Dubové.

The Church of St. Martin and its history

The present-day Baroque appearance of the Roman Catholic Church of St. Martin dates from 1720, when the ruins of an earlier Gothic church were rebuilt. The year marks the rebuilding that gave the church its present-day appearance; the Gothic structure is its earlier history. As Horné Dubové’s most significant monument, the church connects these two periods and provides a tangible architectural reference point for the village’s history.

The bells add further dates and events to the building’s history: the parish commissioned the large bell in 1695, and the small bell was acquired in 1795. The dates are a hundred years apart. The large bell was commissioned, while the small one was acquired—two distinct details about the church’s furnishings.

Other sacred monuments extend the picture beyond the church. The statue of the Sacred Heart was erected in Horné Dubové on 3 July 1927. A statue of the Madonna and Child is also among the village’s monuments. Together, they point to different religious memorial sites, although no date is given for both.

Sermons and biographical traces

The Slovak writer Juraj Fándly taught and preached in Horné Dubové from 1780 to 1807. The parish archive holds sermons he delivered to residents during the Dubovské hody celebrations. His work is therefore connected not only to a particular period, but also to historical festivities and texts preserved in the village.

Another biographical connection is Emil Krapka, who was born in Horné Dubové on 17 July 1925. He was a Jesuit, theologian, underground teacher, organist, and spiritual father. Krapka’s birth date falls well after Fándly’s period of work, extending the village’s biographical perspective from the years between 1780 and 1807 into the 20th century.

The village name and getting around

The name Horné Dubové also preserves a connection to the former landscape. It derives from oak forests that once covered the area around the settlement extensively, before they were cleared. The village name thus recalls the settlement’s historical surroundings and complements the architectural and biographical aspects of its history.

The Jewish cemetery is located 750 metres southwest of the southern edge of Horné Dubové, beside a field track. Its location is described in relation to the southern edge of the village. As conditions on field tracks can change, check them before your visit.

An ARRIVA document dated 30 June 2025 lists three stops in Horné Dubové: bytovka PD, dolný koniec, and ZŠ. If you are planning to travel by bus, check the current timetable before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Trnava, Šelpice, Smolenice, Suchá nad Parnou, Malženice, Hrnčiarovce Nad Parnou, Boleráz, Jaslovské Bohunice

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