Vintage Photos of Slovakia in the late 19th to the mid-20th century. Most of these pictures illustrate rural Slovakia and its peasants who are bearers of Slovak folk culture which is basically pagan, thus interesting for Slavdom as such. Life was different back then, everything looked more healthy for sure, just look at the peacefulness and nice Slavic traditions in Slovakia! Dressing in folk costumes has a long tradition and belongs to the national cultural heritage. The traditional clothing in Slovakia is a folk costume called a kroj. Its history dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries when the first decorated costumes began to emerge. The most distinctive elements of the kroj are embroidery, its techniques, ornamentation, color, and composition. Slovaks are known to be proud of their distinct identity, often distinguishing themselves from neighboring Slavic groups. Slovakia was part of the Habsburg Empire for over 300 years, from the 16th to the early 20th century. Slovak bo...