Take a peek inside a Pannonian house

The house stands right next to another, all facing the road on both sides of it, with fruit trees growing in the background and a field further away. The houses are separated by nothing more but a low fence. At the end of the village there is a small church. One cannot imagine an oval-shaped village more beautiful than this!

Rest assured that these words have not been taken from a fairy tale. Their author is the philosopher and anthropologist Anton Trstenjak, who was completely captivated by the Pannonian roadside villages with their authentic farmhouses. Once you get to know them, they will undoubtedly inspire you in the same way!

Simple engineering masterpieces

Pannonian houses or locally called cimprače are not just a picturesque reflection of times gone by, when people would build houses by using whatever materials were available in their environment. They are also a monument to the engineering ingenuity and experience of past generations. They were built from indigenous yet durable, sustainable and habitable materials.

• The rye straw roof allowed the house to “breathe” better. The straw was harvested by hand, threshed and combed, then tied into a bundle and attached to the roof.
• Wood – the main material – was always cut down at the right time, ensuring its health and long-term durability, regardless of the weather conditions.
• The clay plaster contributed significantly to regulating humidity and temperature in the cimprača house. The clay absorbed excess moisture and when the air was dry, it was released back into the room.
• The facades were painted in stripes. Ash or blue vitriol was used for the lower, gray stripe, while lime was used for the other (white) surfaces. Most often, only the northern wall was covered in paint.

Atrium houses of the past

The first Pannonian houses are believed to have been built as early as the 15th century. They were single-story buildings, typically of an L- or U-shaped floor plan. Thus, in a way, they were the predecessors of the atrium houses popular today.

The roof was extended to the courtyard to create a covered space for work or socializing, which also connected the cimprača with the associated outbuilding or stable.

Modest in size, the cimprača houses did not boast prestigious character – they measured up to 4 meters in width and 13 meters in length. Still, inside they hid a unique soul, which is why they are worth taking a peek into. Up for a quick visit?

Step inside and travel back in time!

A visit to a cimprača house is like stepping into a time machine that takes you back to the 19th century – a time when people would not look for much inspiration when planning, but rather strived to arrange space in a functional and economical way. Step inside!

First, stop in the main living area: the front room with a kitchen-stove and the master's bed. You can sit on benches alongside the walls, which also hold cabinets for storing documents.

When you spot the black walls, you know you are in the kitchen – the central room of every cimprača house, reigned by an open fireplace. Imagine shelves full of earthenware containers in which milk was fermented and pumpkin oil, vinegar and water were stored. Despite the chimneys, smoke often filled this room.

Part of the kitchen also served as an entrance hall, with doors leading to the pantry or the back room. If there were more residents, the youngest would sleep there.

A look up reveals unplastered wooden ceilings. If you look closely at the crossbeams, you will recognize the years (of construction) and the initials belonging to the owner. And if you look down, you will notice clay floors.

But what if nature calls? Quickly get out of the house – into a separate pit toilet! ;)

Where can you admire Pannonian houses?

Nowadays, there are not many completely preserved or reconstructed Pannonian houses, but you can find wonderful examples in Pomurje. For example, in Filovci, the municipality of Moravske Toplice, there is Magda's house, a wonderful example of Pannonian architecture. This cimprača house has a characteristic L-shaped floor plan, and the beams on the outside are decorated with crosses that protect it from misfortune. Its residential part has been converted into a museum, while the farm building serves as an exhibition space that can host smaller exhibitions and workshops.

Once there, you can admire two other gems of Pannonian architecture. Pottery Village, i.e. Filovci Open Air Museum boasts two reconstructed cimprača houses. One is Petkov’s Farm, a former pottery workshop, which now houses a permanent exhibition of the works by Filovci pottery masters. The other is the House of Culinary Arts, built in the shape of the letter U. Back in the day one of the largest buildings in the village, the house, with its  still-functioning black kitchen, is a representation of the typical visual features and aromas of the times gone by.

But we have another piece of great news: aware of all the advantages that natural materials brought to the old cimprača houses, more and more people are building their homes using wood, straw and clay again. So, keep your eyes peeled as you wander around Pomurje; with a little luck, you will discover modern homes with elements of old cimprača houses, including those thatched roofs!

Spend your vacation in a cimprača house! 

In the Pannonian Village of Moravske Toplice, you can truly travel back in time and experience the spirit of an authentic Pannonian house! The traditional-looking cottages are so charming that you will find it difficult to resist staying in one of them.

And before you start worrying about cooking in a black kitchen and using a pit toilet, let us put your mind at ease: these are modern Pannonian houses offering all the amenities of a comfortable home, at the same time exuding genuine romantic charm and warmth. They are covered with reeds, plastered with clay, and furnished with plenty of wood in the authentic Prekmurje style to ensure a pleasant stay.

The vast fields surrounding the Pannonian village create the perfect atmosphere. You can observe them while enjoying a typical Prekmurje breakfast, which will be waiting for you on the doorstep of your cottage. It includes ham, sausages, cheese, and, of course, homemade bread. Would you like something nice for dinner as well? No problem – homemade delicacies from local producers are always available.

If you would like to take a glimpse into the everyday life of many a year ago while at the same time enjoying the culinary heritage of our beautiful plains, you have just found your next vacation destination. ;)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a Pannonian house?

A Pannonian house or cimprača is a type of farmhouse that was prevalent in the Pannonian region in the 19th and 20th centuries, and according to some sources, such buildings were built as early as the 15th century. Cimprača houses were small and made from locally available natural materials: wood, clay, and straw.

2. What did a cimprača house look like?

A typical cimprača was a small, single-storey farmhouse. One of its most recognizable features was its thatched roof. The lower part of the facade was painted gray, while the upper part was painted white. The typical L-shaped design is reminiscent of today's atrium houses. The interior was always arranged in the same way: the central space was a black kitchen, while the front room was used as the main living area.

3. Where can you visit the cimprača houses?

You can see reconstructed Pannonian houses in Filovci in the municipality of Moravske Toplice, where Magda's house and an open-air museum with two cimprača houses are located. One houses an exhibition of pottery, while the other has a black kitchen.

4. Can you stay overnight in a Pannonian house?

If you want to delve into the past on your next vacation, visit the Pannonian Village. There you can stay in a charming house built in the traditional Pannonian style, but with all the modern amenities.

5. Are Pannonian houses still interesting today?

Sustainable construction with natural materials is becoming increasingly popular, which is why the principles of Pannonian house construction are once again relevant. In Pomurje, you can also come across modern examples of classic Pannonian architecture with elements of a cimprača house, such as thatched roofs.