KRUMBENOWE
Why and how we do it?
WHY KRUMBENOWE?
Krumbenowe is the oldest preserved name (middle 13th century) for the town of Český Krumlov. From prehistoric times, it was an important intersection of trade routes; this is supported by a number of archaeological finds throughout the region. The long-distance roads that led through the Vltava River valley connected the Bohemian basin with the Danube and the distant Mediterranean regions. This is why the Krumbenowe event is presented as a merchant settlement where ancient merchants and craftsmen from lands near and far all meet for a weekend to demonstrate their goods and skills to visitors as well as the cultures of the many ages of Bohemia’s distant past.
HOW DID IT BEGIN, AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
The little merchant settlement of Krumbenowe has existed every year since 2014, when the modest idea was born to organize a “small” cross-sectional workshop where visitors and actors could come together and interactively share their interests and knowledge of history through experimental archeology. An unusual aspect of the event is that it was not restricted to a particular time period, as other events typically are. Quite unexpectedly, the workshop blossomed considerably after the first year, earning the tongue-in-cheek nickname of “Exhibition of Prehistoric and Medieval Culture”. The number of interesting themes and speakers involved in experimental archeology is strongly growing, but a central location to present them in a comprehensive format is still lacking. The public is also becoming increasingly interested in this type of event, as evidenced by the growing numbers: 1600 in 2014, 4100 in 2016, and 4300 visitors in 2017.
The event is organized by the Regional Museum in Český Krumlov and the National Archaeological Heritage Institute for Central Bohemia in cooperation with a number of partners, historical groups, and speakers. For the years 2018-2020, the Krumbenowe community is also involved in the I-CULT International Culture Platform project in the Interreg V-A Czech-Austria Cross-Border Cooperation Program, which aims to integrate the cultural organizations and institutions of the four regions: South Bohemia, South Moravia, Vysočina, and Lower Austria.
FEAST OF THE PAST Krumbenowe 2018
WHAT IS krumbenowe?
The little merchant settlement of Krumbenowe, created as an exhibition of prehistoric and medieval culture, is a unique historical cross-sectional event focused on the presentation and popularization of archeology. A symbolic marketplace invites visitors to visually experience the technological evolution of humankind from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages, all based on archaeological sources and experimental archeology. The program is based on interactive presentations and a reconstruction of lifestyles, crafts, and processes of production; it includes lectures with demonstrations, prehistoric music and dance performances, and a “Museum in the Garden” and “Prehistoric Merchant Route” designed for kids of all ages. Simply something for everyone. Krumbenowe is held every year in September in the beautiful environment of the Brewery Garden in Český Krumlov, on the site of the earliest documented settlement of the Krumlov river bend. The event is wheelchair accessible, free entrance, and is accessible for all age groups.
