House n.12 // Provincial house // Gallery

On the north-eastern corner of St. Nicholas square there is an arcade house with an eye-catching massive front. The house was built in first half of 17th century and its extensive stucco-decorated rooms hosted many offices during several centuries. Office of the triad, the ministry, but also the district office and district court resided here. In the first half of 20thcentury the Provincial house, as is known to the local residents, was owned by Blayer family that owned a printer on the opposite southwest side of the square. Bernat Blayer was a chairman of the local Jewish community. He died in 1937, as we know from his tombstone that is located on Jewish cemetery in Stara Lubovna.

His wife Anna and son Elemer died in a concentration camp. From his family survived son Ervin, who fought in Czechoslovak resistance and later travelled to USA, and daughter Edita, who saved herself by escaping through Hungary and later lived in Israel. After the war, Provincial house served as a place for gathering German ethnic group before their expulsion to Germany. The descendants of Blayer disposed the house to the local collective farm. In this building the first museum in Stara Lubovna was placed. Today, there are shops, restaurant and also city gallery can be found there.