The Peculiarity of the North-East
The submontane area nestled between the Krkonoše and Orlické mountains, made famous by the writer Božena Němcová, is known as Náchodsko. Here, you can find the renowned "Babiččino údolí" (Grandmother's Valley), located near Česká Skalice.
Suppose you want to gain insight into the local costumes and see what life was like in past centuries. In that case, you only need to delve into the book "Babička" (The Grandmother), which offers valuable testimonies in every chapter, sentence, and phrase. You can also find essential records of the traditional attire of the Náchodsko region in the works of Alois Jirásek.
The costumes in Náchodsko were said to be quite distinctive, particularly in the area beyond Hronov towards Police nad Metují and further towards Broumov. In her most famous work, Božena Němcová mentions the attire worn mainly by the poorer people. These garments were mostly made from homemade fabrics, as few could afford clothes made by weavers or other artisans. Even in the second half of the 19th century, spinning, weaving, dyeing, and printing were done by hand in Náchodsko. The region later became famous for printing blue aprons and scarves, which made the local women recognizable from afar.
