Do you know Trenčín beyond its castle? For one day, the Old Herold distillery complex, normally closed to the public, will open its doors. The programme includes a guided tour, exhibition, lecture, discussion and concert. Together, we will explore the story of the city from the 19th century to the present day.
When and where?
Saturday, 24 October 2026, 3:00–9:00 p.m.
Old Herold complex, Bratislavská 36, Trenčín
Admission is free. Registration is required for the guided tour.
More than a story about alcohol
Distilling has been part of Trenčín for almost 150 years. Old Herold continues the tradition of a distillery founded in 1886. It is based in the former yeast factory complex dating from the 1930s, which is now one of the city’s industrial heritage sites. But Trenčín and the surrounding region were home to several liqueur producers, each of them revealing something about how people here lived and worked.
The stories of local distilleries show how Trenčín has changed. They tell us about industry and entrepreneurship, changing political regimes, design and advertising, architecture, and the ways in which our relationship with alcohol has evolved. We do not want simply to look back nostalgically at old factories and brands. We want to use local stories to tell the broader history of the 20th century.
The event will be hosted by writer Michal Hvorecký.
Programme
Exact times and the names of our guests will be announced soon.
- Guided tour of the Old Herold complex: the history of the distillery and a demonstration of traditional distillation methods. Registration is required for the tour.
- Exhibition – Trenčín Liqueur Producers from 1886 to the Present: a selection of archival materials from Old Herold.
- Lecture on spirits design: how bottles and labels have changed and how alcohol was promoted in different periods.
- Discussion on distilling in Trenčín and the surrounding region: the people and businesses that shaped the industry.
- Concert: performers will be announced soon.
Registration for the guided tour
Capacity for the tour is limited, so please register in advance:
https://forms.gle/F3Voxb4gXh6x14ZH8
Do you have old photographs at home?
We are looking for historical photographs from family archives connected with liqueur producers in Trenčín and the surrounding region. We are interested in photographs showing both working life and leisure activities organised by companies for their employees.
Please send scanned photographs to nora.svitkova@trencin2026.eu. You can also bring the originals to the Trenčín 2026 office (Mierové nám. 1/2, 911 64 Trenčín), where we will scan them and return them to you.
We are collecting photographs until 19 October 2026.
