Malá Čausa lies on the southern slope of the Žiar Mountains, in the valley of the small Čausanka stream, also known as Čermel. The settlement stretches north to south along the watercourse. Local history, regional crafts and cycling routes offer different ways to get to know the character of the village.

Valley, settlement and protected lime trees

The streamside location and north–south orientation describe Malá Čausa as a settlement following the course of a valley. Two protected lime trees stand in a cemetery in Malá Čausa.

Traces in local and architectural history

Malá Čausa is considered an Old Slavic settlement dating to the 12th century. It appears there under the historical name “Kys Chewche.” The two dates offer different insights: the 12th-century dating is a historical interpretation, while the charter records the name in 1430.

The history of the buildings also shows a shift in materials. The oldest houses were built from unfired bricks. It was only in the last decade before 1900 that people began building with stone, following the example of the German houses in Handlová. Traditional houses with earthen floors can still be found in the village today. The home production of wooden shingles was a local source of income in the 18th and 19th centuries. Taken together, these details offer different perspectives on the past: building methods, floors and a craft that was once part of the local economy.

Easter egg art using different techniques

Margita Šimková is a master craftswoman of ÚĽUV who makes Easter eggs; her place of work is Malá Čausa. Her techniques include batik, raised wax decoration and straw appliqué. After 2000, she also added perforation to her range of techniques. This later addition sets the technique she adopted subsequently apart from the other methods mentioned.

Mária Kršková also decorates Easter eggs using the raised wax technique and is skilled in the Madeiro technique. Easter egg art in Malá Čausa is therefore not limited to a single technique: the forms mentioned include wax decoration and perforation as well as batik, straw and Madeiro.

Chapel and memorial site

The Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary is a single-nave neoclassical building dating from 1902. It was renovated in 2002, is in good condition and continues to serve its religious purpose. If you would like to visit the chapel, check access locally. This keeps the building’s history and its present-day religious use separate from the question of whether it may be open to visitors.

Another historical point of reference is the SNP Monument in Malá Čausa. It was unveiled on 27 August 1972, on the 28th anniversary of the Slovak National Uprising. The chapel and the monument thus represent different periods in the village’s history: a building from the early 20th century and a commemorative event from 1972.

Cycling routes and sport

The Bojnice Cycling Circuit includes a 20 km section within the microregion. The route passes through Handlová, Ráztočno, Jalovec, Chrenovec, Malá Čausa and Brezany. A route sequence from Malá Čausa lists a further 3 km to Jalovec, then about 2 km in the direction of Ráztočno, and finally around 2.5 km to the quarry in Remata.

A cycling route 16.3 km long is rated as being of medium difficulty. It runs on asphalt and on surfaced and unsurfaced forest tracks, and is considered suitable for older children as well. Check local trail conditions before setting out. Another section of the route leads through the forest for 3.5 km on a surfaced track to a turn-off for Malá Čausa.

Malá Čausa also has a leisure complex with a multipurpose sports ground, considered a sports and cultural centre for residents and visitors to the municipality. Alongside the local history and crafts, cycling routes and the village’s sporting and cultural life offer further ways to explore the area.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Cigeľ, Diviaky Nad Nitricou, Temeš, Nitrica, Tužina, Koš, Nováky, Šútovce.

For the overview of the wider area: Prievidza.