Slovakia: The Legend of the Linden is a fully illustrated book about the folklore of the Linden tree, a beautiful tree native to both the Czech Republic and Slovakia which is also the national symbol for both lands. This beautiful book offers an in-depth history of Slovakia based around the Linden tree, or “Lípa” as it is more commonly known in the Slovak language.
It reads almost like a poem, making references and to the tree which is sacred in the Czech and Slovak nations and serves as a representation of strength and perseverance, as it lived through many wars and battles. The Linden tree is not only a symbol for Slovakia though, it is also popular among many other mythologies and can be seen in literature from Germanic, Greek, and Baltic folklore.
In English, the Linden tree is sometimes called a lime tree, though it is not related to the tree which produces the lime fruit. The name has inspired many other Slavic based words such as the word lípan which means July in Croatian or lípa which used to be the name for Slovenian currency. In Polish they call the tree the Święta Lipka which literally translates to “Holy Lime” this is also the name of a town in Poland.
The tree itself has been a necessity for the Slovak people though generations. Using its pollen for honey, and its blossoms for healing tea, it can be recognized as a nation emblem for both Slovakia and the Czech Republic (also check out the history of the Czech national coat of arms).
The Linden is a rather large tree that is quaint in appearance and has heart shaped leaves. It is said that every village had one of these trees where people would gather and spend time together, and to this day, it remains highly symbolic to the Slavs.
The book was co-written by Zuzana Palovic and Gabriela Bereghazyova. In it, they dive into the history of both Slovakia and the Linden tree and their connection to one another.
It is rather romantic in the way it was written and it is easy to read.
Mostly, this is a beautiful book to look at!
Every single page of the book is like its own work of art; holding a painting, illustration, or photograph to represent the subject being discussed.
This makes it a lovely book not only to read, but also to study and look at if you happen to be interested in visual arts.
A truly magical read, this whimsically told story of Slovakia is not only fascinating but also enriching.
We recommend you pick up your copy here!
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