On Saturday 23 August 2025, the Amphitheatre in Bani was filled with residents of Rakytovce, locals and visitors alike. Our district came together to mark the 730th anniversary of the first written mention of the village.
From the depths of history
The roots of Rakytovce date back to 1295, when King Andrew III of Hungary set aside two ploughlands (approximately 200 hectares) from the Badín estate and gifted them to Mikuláš, son of Abraham of Badín. This led to the establishment of two original settlements — Horný and Dolný Rakytovec — which later merged into a single village.
The first preserved name was Rakolcz; the present-day name, Rakytovce, has been in use since 1927. The village was the seat of the Rakytovský family, and later the Chudobov and Badíny families resided here. A noble manor house and a Classicist bell tower with historic bells from the 18th century have been preserved from those times. Rakytovce remained an independent village until 1 January 1971, when it became part of Banská Bystrica.
A programme full of experiences
The celebrations kicked off at 12:30 and offered something for everyone. Children enjoyed face painting, braiding hair, archery, horse riding and a ride on the sightseeing train. There were also dog training demonstrations, a special forces display, firefighting foam and bouncy castles.
At 1.00 pm, the traditional football match between the bachelors and the married men kicked off, and there were also competitions for the title of goulash master and in beer drinking. From 4.30 pm, the amphitheatre resounded with music — performances by Javory and Liesky, accordionists from Badín, and country singer Alan Mikušek. Throughout the day, the Zacharovci folk band from Poník played music to get everyone dancing and in good spirits.
Thank you to everyone who came, helped out and shared their memories. Rakytovce may be small, but its story has been unfolding for 730 years — and we are continuing to write it together.
