THE BEST places in Central Slovakia
Adventurers beware! Complete your experience with the BEST places of the Central Slovakia region. Some of them you know well, some you may not have heard of at all. Read, open your calendars and plan your trips today.
Iconic Špania Dolina
Did you know that Špania dolina was ranked among the 29 most beautiful towns in Central Europe? Špania Dolina became a site of European importance as early as the 15th century, at the time of the Thurzo-Fugger Society. It is significant first of all for its mining tradition, the Špáňodolin lace and the mining astronomical clock. Have you heard that even Christopher Columbus had copper bars from this valley? They were found on his ship when he lost his way and docked in Cuba.
Mint in Kremnica
Have you heard that the Kremnica Mint is the OLDEST continuously producing mint in the world? It was founded in 1328 thanks to the privilege of King Charles Robert of Anjou, who made Kremnica a free royal town. For almost seven centuries, it has continuously produced coinage products that are among the top in the world in terms of several criteria.
The BEST in your free time
Not far from the centre of Banská Bystrica you will find the LARGEST sports and amusement park in Slovakia. On an area of 4000m2 you will find more than 50 different attractions, from trampolines, climbing walls, children’s attractions to a multifunctional playground with artificial grass. Bounce park is a guarantee of great experiences and a great tip for a program, not only for rainy days!
The deserted castle is also known as Zvolen Castle and consists of 2 parts: the Upper Castle and the Lower Castle. Did you know that it is one of the LARGEST castles not only in Slovakia, but also in Central Europe? It covers an area of 4.7 hectares. It will surprise you with its size, which is comparable to Spišský hrad.
Hronsek
If you haven’t visited the wooden church in Hronsek yet, it’s high time to change that! The Evangelical wooden articular church is the MOST important monument of its kind in the whole region, even listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Interestingly, it was built without a single nail and had to meet certain strict criteria: built without a nail, built without a tower and within a year. The site also includes a wooden bell tower.
Poľana – extinct volcano
It is the LARGEST extinct Tertiary volcano in Slovakia and one of the largest in Europe. It belongs to one of the rarest complexes in Slovakia. Do you know that Poľana is a remnant of a massive volcano with a diameter of 18 kilometers ? Although its compact character has not been preserved because weathering caused massive transport of less resistant particles, it is still the BEAUTIFULEST example of the original volcanoes in our country.
The BEST that nature has to offer
Hrb Peak
Do you know that approximately 20 km from Banská Bystrica is the geographical centre of Slovakia? It is the northern peak of Vepro – the Hrb hill with an altitude of 1254.7 m. The top of Hrb is formed by an imposing, sometimes up to 40 m high rock cliff, falling perpendicular wall to the north and west. The view from the top, which opens out to all cardinal points (except the south), will also captivate everyone.
Rakytovo – water trough
Did you know that it is the only preserved and still functional water trough in Slovakia and Europe? It was used to float flat timber. It is located in the Rakytovo valley near Dolný Harmanec. The 2 450 m long water trough was built in the 19th century and the timber was usually floated along it in the spring, a season rich in water. The flume is made exclusively of spruce or fir wood. The Rakytovo water trough was declared a national cultural monument in 2000.
The BEST of history
Thurzo – Fugger company
John III. Thurzo was in 1496 the owner or tenant of all the mines in Staré Hory, Piesky and Špania Dolina. In order to raise sufficient capital, he joined with the Upper German merchant house of the Fuggers. Together they formed a copper mining company in central Slovakia, which was unparalleled in the first half of the 16th century and which was one of the largest copper producers in the world. At the time of its greatest boom, the company produced over 1500 tons of copper per year. Today, a new THURZO-GUGGER Experience Exhibition in the centre of Banská Bystrica reminds us of their former glory. It uses modern technologies (virtual and augmented reality, touch screens, 3D visualizations, 360° video projection, smartphones, etc.)
It consists of an upper castle (built in the 13th century in the Gothic style) and a lower castle (Renaissance period in the 16th century). Apart from the beautiful castle, it hides one more important natural monument. Do you know which one? The Corvinus Linden, named after Matthias Corvinus, who liked to sit under it. It is located in the lower courtyard and is over 700 years old. This makes it one of the oldest lindens in Central Europe.
Zolná – Church of St. Matthew
The Roman Catholic Church of St. Matthew is one of the oldest and most picturesque churches in the region. The Church of St. Matthew is a small single-nave early Gothic church, which hides Gothic wall paintings in its interior. Did you know that this church was visited by Britain’s Prince Charles in 2000?
Hronsek Water Castle
It is the oldest preserved two-storey stone building in Slovakia. The building consists of 3 buildings. The biggest gems are the murals in the interior. It was put on display by the Géczy family in the 14th century. Nowadays the castle is under reconstruction after a long period of decay.
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