Podbiel

Bobrova rala is a street in Podbiel where over sixty log farmhouses of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries stand in a row, built in the Orava manner of squared timber with decorated gables and a shared plan of room, hall and chamber. It is the largest surviving group of its type in Slovakia and is protected as a reservation. Several houses have been restored and are let as accommodation, which is what has kept them maintained.

History

The village is first mentioned in 1564, and its traditional wooden cottages have been declared a folk architecture preservation area (Wikipedia, Podbiel).

The main sights

• The log street - over sixty timber farmhouses standing in one row.
• The Orava building - squared logs with decorated gables and a standard plan.
• The restored houses - buildings kept up by being let as accommodation.
• The Orava valley - the river and hills around the village.

When to go

May to October is the most comfortable. Autumn is the prettiest in the valley. Houses are private and viewed from the street.

What to expect

The houses are private homes and holiday lets, not a museum; there is nothing to go inside unless you are staying. The street is short and takes half an hour. Facilities in the village are limited.

Nearby

Orava castle is southwest, and Zuberec is east.

Key facts