Blog Post

World's First Love Bank, world record in Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia

February 14, 2024

Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia--The Love Bank was created from the verses of the world's longest love poem; the poem MARÍNA by Andrej Sládkovič was recognized as an official world record holder for the Longest love poem by the World Record Academy; The Love Bank, a Fundraising project to save and restore the historic House of Marína and promote Sládkovič’s MARÍNA around the globe sets the world record for being the World's First Love Bank, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"The Love Bank is a Fundraising project. Our purpose is to save and restore the historic House of Marína and promote Sládkovič’s MARÍNA around the globe as the World’s longest love poem,"the official website says.

"The story of the love between Marína and Sládkovič is true, it really did happen – and it gave birth to the World’s longest love poem! The poem MARÍNA was born from the real love between Andrej Sládkovič and Marína Pischlová. Since 1846 it has been the World’s longest love poem.

"We chose to do it our way. The LOVE BANK is our original idea. For nearly two years dozens of people have been working on it.
Worldwide media coverage seems to demonstrate that we have managed to create in Banská Štiavnica something globally unique. The media have described us as the only LOVE BANK in the world.

"You will get Love Box for 1 YEAR for 50€ or You will get Love Box FOREVER for 100€, click here for details."

"The original 1846 manuscript for the poem, completed by Andrej Sladkovic after his love, Marina Pischlova, married someone else, is in the Slovak National Library in Martin. But a facsimile of the work, certified by the World Record Academy as the world’s longest love poem, is on exhibit in the building Marina once lived in," the New York Times says.

"“Marina,” as the poem is known, consists of 291 stanzas and 2,900 verses. Try fitting that on a Hallmark card. (Other odes lay claim to being the oldest and the epic “Manas,” at 500,000 lines, about the exploits of a Kyrgyz family from Central Asia, appears to be the longest.)

"While Verona in Italy lures tourists to the balcony from which Shakespeare’s fictional Juliet courted Romeo, Banska Stiavnica draws lovers to the house on Holy Trinity Square where Marina once lived with her family."

"Banská Štiavnica is a town in central Slovakia, in the middle of an immense caldera created by the collapse of an ancient volcano. For its size, the caldera is known as the Štiavnica Mountains. Banská Štiavnica has a population of more than 10,000. It is a completely preserved medieval town. Because of their historical value, the town and its surroundings were proclaimed by the UNESCO to be a World Heritage Site on December 11, 1993," the Wikipedia says.

"The heart of the town is the historical Trinity Square dominated by a monumental plague column. The square is used for frequent cultural events and there is also a mineralogical museum. Two castles, the so-called “old” one and “new” one, have been transformed into museums.

"The town is surrounded by ancient artificial mining water reservoirs called tajchy. Sixty reservoirs were built in the 15th through 18th centuries in order to provide energy for the booming mining industry. They are connected by a more than 100-kilometre (62 mi) long network of channels. These extraordinary historical monuments are now used mainly for recreation."

"The Love Bank, a popular tourist attraction in the historical centre of Banská Štiavnica, has been destroyed after the old building in which this unique bank is housed went up in flames on Saturday morning," The Slovak Spectator says.

Due to the strong wind, hilly terrain, narrow streets and old houses attached to one another, the fire spread across several structures along the roofs. It lasted several hours before firefighters managed to contain the fire.

"The cause of the fire is not yet known. The Banská Bystrica Region Police said it was probably a short circuit. Some people on Facebook suggested that the fire could have been prevented if the electrical system maintenance in the building had not been neglected."

"The Love Bank museum, a one-of-a-kind sanctuary dedicated to the world's longest love poem, is on the road to recovery following a fire that nearly devastated its medieval structure last March. This Valentine's Day, the museum remains closed for restoration, yet its spirit of love endures as work continues to preserve this unique tribute to romance. The restoration project is being funded by the Slovak government and private donors. The goal is to preserve the museum's historic building and enhance its exhibits to attract more visitors once its doors reopen," the BNN Breaking says.

"Nestled in the UNESCO World Heritage Site town of Banská Štiavnica, the Love Bank museum is home to a vault containing 7,000 'Love Boxes' filled with romantic keepsakes from couples and individuals worldwide. The museum gained popularity by offering visitors an opportunity to reaffirm their devotion to one another in this unique setting. Despite the fire, the underground vault and the text of the 19th-century love poem that wraps around its walls were left unscathed.

"The poem, titled 'Marina,' was penned by Slovak poet Ivan Krasko. It is considered the world's longest love poem, spanning an impressive 2,992 verses. The original manuscript of the poem is housed in the Slovak National Library in the capital city, Bratislava."The fire was a shock, but we are determined to restore the Love Bank museum to its former glory," says Jana Kuzmová, the museum's director. "The fact that the vault and the poem's text were untouched by the flames is a testament to the enduring power of love."

""The fire was a shock, but we are determined to restore the Love Bank museum to its former glory," says Jana Kuzmová, the museum's director. "The fact that the vault and the poem's text were untouched by the flames is a testament to the enduring power of love."t

"Located in Slovakia, Banská Štiavnica is an underrated Eastern European town known for its historic structures and incredible views," The Travel says.

"Travelers who want a one-of-a-kind experience should visit the Banka Lásky (Love Bank). The vault comprises the world's longest love poem, and visitors can store their mementos in the love vault."

"The town of Banská Štiavnica in cooperation with local attraction Bank of Love prepared the first official zero-euro souvenir note and unique coin with the motif of Štiavnica in Love. There is the well-known feature of Banská Štiavnica depicted on the note – the calvary, connected with a quote of Andrej Sládkovič, a Slovak poet," The Slovak Spectator says.

"The coin with the motif of Štiavnica in Love is unique because it is the first coin in Slovakia combining 24-carat gold with hand-coloured painting. It is possible to obtain the notes and coins only personally in the Bank of Love in Marína’s house at Radničné Square in Banská Štiavnica.

"The note was released in limited costs of 20,000 pieces. The coin is accessible in gilt and silver-plated version."

"MARÍNA consists of 291 stanzas and 2900 verses. For [nrecord] years it has been the World’s longest love poem. In 2017 it was officially registered as a world record by the World Record Academy, the largest organization for the certification of world records," the Love Bank says.

"So far the poem MARÍNA has been published in 46 editions in 8 languages (Slovak, Hungarian, Czech, French, Polish, Serbo-Croatian, English and Hindi). The World’s most comprehensive collection of published editions of MARÍNA is here in the LOVE BANK.

"Sládkovič’s original manuscript of the poem MARÍNA is archived in the Slovak National Library in Martin. Here in
the LOVE BANK you can find the only true facsimile of this manuscript. THE LOVE BANK is created from the verses of the poem MARÍNA. Therefore, when you enter the LOVE BANK, you will find yourself inside the World’s longest love poem.

"Hundreds of people from all around the world store in a Love Box their symbolic keepsake of love or desire of love. Each Love Box represents a letter, punctuation mark or space from the poem MARÍNA. Each Love Box bears a piece of Sládkovič’s original
manuscript of the poem MARÍNA from 1846."