'The Old Gods and the New'
In the old days, places under linden trees were spots where local people would meet and discuss matters of mutual interest. These trees were regarded as holy trees of happiness, symbols of loyalty, bringers of prosperity. This immediately rings a bell, right? 'The Old Gods and the New', remember? I bet this is where George found his idea for personifying the white-barked, red-leaved trees in Game of Thrones.
This particular tree is alive for centuries, older than many countries of the world. According to the legend, this is the exact place where Matija Gubec started the rebellion against the nobles in 1573. The story about the linden tree where peasants gathered was passed down for generations. There is not much evidence of how that event happened exactly but it is a fact that it happened. "The peasant rebellion", is a novel based on real historical events written by August Šenoa in the 19th century.
The linden tree was 30m high before a severe storm hit it in 1945. Today, Gubec Linden is protected as a natural monument and is taken care of by a team of biologists who are making sure that it lives as long as possible. Measures are put in place so that the heavy branch doesn't split the stem.
Also, there is a young branch growing from the old root. I like that as a symbol of new generations taking over. A natural way of going forward.
I remember, as children in elementary school, we were told that Gubec, the head of class rebellion in the 16th century, was the first Croatian communist. Regime loved to take advantage of history and tweak facts in serving its own needs, as the party officials deemed fit. However, socialist system that I grew up in was a mild one. Private initiative was not fully banned, merely limited to small businesses. One could also travel abroad without permissions. But, we still had to wear red bandanas and blue caps on school events and sing retarded songs about Tito and his glorious escapades. Still, in our days, Tito's personality cult is alive. A bunch of his fans, dressed in already mentioned school uniforms, claiming to be proud Party Pioneers, are known to march around his house on his birthday. Luckily, this brainwashed jolly bunch is mostly over 80. So nobody is taking that seriously. There is a hole in the tree's stem where one see through. The inside seems to be hollow. Just like socialism.
The linden must be over 700 years old. It is a landmark and a tourist spot. There is also a board put there by local people who frequent the place. Whoever arrives with good intentions is warmly greeted and welcomed by the locals. But, be careful, 'Do not step on the roses!', as the sign says! That might not be taken lightly ;-)
Just kidding. But, don't step on the roses, anyway! Rather always find a little time to enjoy their scent.
Enjoy your day! :-)
©2018 Velimir Kovačić All rights reserved.
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