A mystical character chasing winter away
According to an ancient belief, Kurent is a demon chasing winter away and calling spring to the country. In December 2017, UNESCO inscribed the “Door-to- door rounds of Kurent” to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In the past only fully grown-up men were allowed to wear the Kurent’s outfit. In small groups, they would visit not only houses in their own village but also in neighbouring ones, from Shrove Sunday to Ash Wednesday. Today you can see the kurent:
- at the Kurent House, Murkova ulica 7
- at TIC Ptuj, Mestni trg 4
- in traditional carnival mask collection (Ptuj-Ormož Regional Museum, Ptuj castle)
- at Kurentovanje carnival and village carnivals around Ptuj (only from Shrove Sunday and Ash Wednesday)
- Kurent-like masks can be found also on the facade of houses at Jadranska street 4 and 6.
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