Stories painted on the hives

An old cart stands outside our house, loaded with kranjiči — traditional Slovenian hives stacked like drawers. Their painted front boards are called panjske končnice.

Slovenians have been painting these hive fronts since the mid-18th century. Saints share the panels with animals, village scenes and humorous stories. The pictures were thought to help bees recognise their own hive; for their owners, they were a source of pride and a chance to poke a little fun at everyday life.

These panels are an unmistakable part of Slovenian folk art. They belong to the wider beekeeping tradition recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. Here, they’re not behind museum glass — they’re part of the courtyard.