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Nowadays, many of Slovakia’s historic buildings are incubators for contemporary art and cuisine And while the High Tatras are indeed (and should be) a prime draw Slovakia’s other national parks abound with forests Many countries can boast such a range of attractions – but few have it all such a modestly sized, easy-to-travel package. Trains connect Slovakia to capitals across services Europe bus services are abundant and driving yourself is easy Here’s our rundown of Slovakia’s best places to visit Slovakia is one of the best countries to visit next year. See our full list of Best in Travel 2025 winners Best for merrymaking and monumental architecture It’s not hard to find thirsty tourists stumbling across Bratislava’s cobblestones in search of their next Lánius beer (or their next round of Slivovitz plum brandy) Yet while the Slovak capital has a well-earned reputation as a party town even devoted revelers take in some culture along the way Bratislava is also an ideal base for day trips. Within 90 minutes by road you can storm Červený Kameň Castle drink in the views from Devínska Kobyla Observation Tower or climb Trenčín’s clock tower for a bird’s-eye view Planning tip: Summer festivals help you see the city at its regal best. Plan around Middle Ages in the Park in June or the later summer Coronation Days Skiers also have plenty of reasons to head to the High Tatras. Jasná Nízke Tatry is the biggest ski area with more than 46km (29 miles) of trails Planning tip: The highest hikes don’t open until mid-June, so go in midsummer if you’re scaling lofty peaks like Kriváň or Rysy (2501m / 8205ft) September’s mellow sunshine is ideal for hitting the trails Planning tip: There are no fewer than 18 UNESCO World Heritage sights within a couple of hours by road from Košice, with the most enchanting along the Wooden Churches Trail Hire a driver or rent a car to do a loop taking in Ladomirová Hervatov and Kežmarok; summoning a church custodian to unlock these art-filled churches is part of the fun too: there are 65km (40 miles) of bike trails within the park (Rent wheels in the gateway town of Spišská Nová Ves or in Podlesok within the park.) Though winter is much quieter you can cross-country ski on marked walking trails Planning tip: A worthwhile detour just outside the park is Dobšinská Ice Cave which is open to tours of its frosty stalagmites between mid-May and late August Is Banská Štiavnica the prettiest town in Central Europe We think it’s a strong contender: Gothic and Renaissance churches and houses make it a veritable jewel box of architecture and it’s huddled inside an extinct volcanic caldera a unique complex of Baroque churches and chapels overlooks Banská Štiavnica from a hilltop east of town The village of Ždiar’s setting is simply lovely: in the Belianske Tatras, right by the border with Poland, surrounded by glorious hiking and biking trails, as well as caves you can visit nearby What makes it even more special is the distinct flavor of Goral culture in everything from its food to its ornately painted houses Hungary has hogged the acclaim for sweet white Tokaj wine a so-called “liquid gold” once served to royals and still gracing the dessert menus of many fine-dining restaurants formerly entirely within the Kingdom of Hungary landed within the borders of modern-day Slovakia at the end of the First World War Today, southeastern Slovakia boasts more than a dozen wineries. Hand-dug underground cellars provide deliciously rustic settings to sample Tokaj wine, usually with cheeses and cold meats to cleanse your palate in between each sweet sip. The Jaroslav Ostrožovič and Tokaj Macik wineres Planning tip: Wine villages like Veľká Tŕňa are only an hour by road from Košice – but it’s much more sensible (not to mention enjoyable) to stay overnight. Many wineries have on-site rooms; another appealing option is a stay in a tree house at Camping Malá Bara In a country with more than 120 castles to visit, choosing a favorite is tough. But if we had to hide from a trebuchet attack anywhere in Slovakia, we’d pick Spiš Standing imperiously on a 634m(2080ft)-high hilltop Spiš Castle has withstood centuries of battles thanks to its stocky towers and defensive walls It’s one of Central Europe’s biggest strongholds And thanks to a Gothic makeover of its palace Spišské Podhradie is no one-trick town: just west lies the Spišská Kapitula, whose architecture – a mix of Romanesque turrets and splashy Baroque finery – has earned it the nickname “Slovakia’s Vatican.” The village has a small but excellent array of guesthouses and restaurants, too; we recommend the farmhouse fare at merry Spišsky Salaš. Planning tip: Just 12km (7.5 miles) west is the town of Levoča, with a fine town hall and a small cluster of art and medieval museums. The highlight is the dreamy view of Levoča’s church spires and defensive walls from the hilltop Basilica of the Virgin Mary – a view guaranteed to inspire dreams of your next trip. The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve World Heritage partnerships for conservation Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development Our Partners Donate Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information the town of Banská Štiavnica was visited by many outstanding engineers and scientists who contributed to its fame The old medieval mining centre grew into a town with Renaissance palaces The urban centre blends into the surrounding landscape which contains vital relics of the mining and metallurgical activities of the past la ville a reçu la visite de nombreux ingénieurs et scientifiques qui ont contribué à sa renommée L’ancien centre minier médiéval s’est transformé en ville dotée de palais Renaissance Le centre urbain se fond dans le paysage environnant qui comporte des vestiges très importants des activités minières et métallurgiques du passé زار هذه المدينة على مر العصور عدد من المهندسين والعلماء الذين ساهموا في خلق سمعتها وقد تحول المركز المنجمي القديم العائد الى القرون الوسطى الى مدينة مزودة بقصر بُني حسب طراز عصر النهضة وبكنائس من القرن السادس عشر وساحات أنيقة وقصور ويندمج المركز المدني في الطبيعة المحيطة بما يتضمنه من آثار لنشاطات منجمية وعدانية اتسمت في الماضي بأهمية بالغة 几个世纪以来，许多著名的工程师和科学家到访此地，让这个城镇名气大增。这个古老的中世纪采矿中心，逐渐演变成为一个城镇，有文艺复兴时期的宫殿、16世纪的教堂、 精致的广场和城堡。城镇的中心和周围的环境融为一体，还保留着过去采矿和冶金活动的重要遗迹。 На протяжении столетий город Банска-Штъявница посещали многие выдающимиеся инженеры и ученые Средневековый горняцкий центр превратился в город с особняками в стиле Возрождения Городской центр гармонично вписан в окружающий ландшафт в котором сохранились свидетельства прошлой горнометаллургической деятельности acudieron a esta ciudad numerosos ingenieros y científicos que contribuyeron a darle fama El antiguo centro minero medieval se transformó en una ciudad con palacios renacentistas El centro urbano se integra perfectamente en el paisaje circundante donde se hallan vestigios importantes de las actividades mineras y metalúrgicas de antaño The Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica and the Technical Monuments in its Vicinity is an outstanding example of an important mining settlement that has developed since the Middle Ages The property’s distinct form was created by the symbiosis of the industrial landscape and the urban environment resulting from its mineral wealth and consequent prosperity Located in the mountains of Štiavnické Vrchy this extensive property covers a total area of 20,632 ha and includes the urban centre of Banská Štiavnica as well as the surrounding landscape featuring vital relics of the mining and metallurgical activities of the past Most of the mining resources are located outside the urban area but within the Štiavnické Vrchy Protected Landscape Area although evidence of mining dates back to the late Bronze Age While it served as an important town during the Middle Ages the surviving urban centre was formed during the 16th century It is characterized by the grand Late Gothic and Renaissance burgher houses and the Late Gothic Church of Saint Catherine a fortification system was built which has visible remains in the fortress of the Old Castle the Renaissance watchtower of the New Castle and the only surviving of the town gates – the Baroque-style Piarg Gate The establishment of the first Mining and Forestry Academy in Europe in 1762 demonstrates the importance of this town as a centre for the education of mining experts connected with mining and processing of polymetallic ores can be found in the town and in its vicinity and a sophisticated water management system The system of artificially built water reservoirs – ponds and collecting ditches – built in the 16th century and developed in the 18th century served the needs of the mining industry and provided fresh drinking water for the town It was the most modern work of its type until the 19th century the exhaustion of mineral resources has led to decline in the historic urban structure Criterion (iv): The urban and industrial complex of Banská Štiavnica and the Technical Monuments in its Vicinity is an outstanding example of a medieval mining centre of great economic importance that continued into the modern period and assumed a characteristic and distinctive form Criterion (v): Banská Štiavnica and its surrounding area are an outstanding example of mining area which has become vulnerable to the potential erosion of its character and urban fabric following the cessation of mining activities as well as the removal of the Mining Academy; All important elements necessary to convey the Outstanding Universal Value are contained within the boundaries of the property The property covers the urban centre of Banská Štiavnica and the surrounding landscape representing the evolution of the town and its industrial past from the Middle Ages featuring vital relics of mining and metallurgical activities There is a risk to the property due to development pressure arising from a change in living standards as well as from an increase in tourism The property’s high authenticity is reflected in the original urban structure and landscape that developed as a result of exploitation of the polymetallic ores Individual buildings survive with authenticity of design and material The systematic restoration and reconstruction has been based on documentation focused on artistic and further supported by other existing documents Although new uses are being sought for some of the technical monuments the authenticity of the industrial resources is indisputable The components of the property within the Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica and the Technical Monuments in its Vicinity and the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic have the overall responsibility for the protection of the property was the first large scale reconstruction project at the property This was expanded after 1970 into systematic restoration and reconstruction work Restoration of the mining and technical aspects of the property began in 1963 The property‘s protection is legislatively secured by the provisions of the Act No on the protection of monuments and historic sites that refers to the protection of all cultural monuments and protected areas in the World Heritage property (Town Conservation Reserve of Banská Štiavnica Town Conservation Reserve of Štiavnické Bane and Protected Historic Zone of Hodruša – Hámre) Technical monuments in the surrounding area are protected as national cultural monuments The Slovak Republic has adopted the special Act No on the protection and development of the town of Banská Štiavnica that refers to the whole World Heritage property The Protected Landscape Area Štiavnické Vrchy provides protection to the property’s natural surroundings and forms a buffer zone of 62,128 ha under the provisions of the Act No Some parts of the area are included in the Natura 2000 network Additional protection tools include the urban planning documentation containing specific provisions to be respected in conducting all activities in the property the Outstanding Universal Value of the property is assessed and monitored and measures for avoiding identified threats are taken The property‘s management is conducted by the Town of Banská Štiavnica in cooperation with the self-administration of the communities situated within the property the Regional Monuments Board Banská Bystrica the office in Banská Štiavnica and the Direction of the Protected Landscape Area Štiavnické Vrchy There is a relatively complicated management system reflecting the property’s complexity The management plan aims to create an efficient and coherent system of property management involving all relevant stakeholders and enhancing the public awareness of the property’s values and protection The most important calvary in Slovakia and the former Kingdom of Hungary—possibly even the world—and still an important pilgrimage site today Calvary Banska Stiavnica in Slovakia is one of the town's must-see monuments even if it was allowed to fall into disrepair what with the town being built in the middle of a caldera formed by the collapse of an ancient volcano A town of great historical significance and a UNESCO World Heritage Site itself and statuary of the Virgin Mary is the main draw for tourists Constructed in the mid-1700s by local Jesuits it was an epicenter of religious life for 200 years Despite being built in the middle of the Baroque era meaning its worshippers can focus on the spiritual aspects of the Passion Another unique feature is its arrangement: rather than the standard 14 stations beginning in Nazareth rather than the condemnation of Christ It is also claimed that several people have been physically healed on the site Recent years have not been kind to the calvary It suffered major damage during World War II and has also been the victim of neglect it was added onto the list of the World Monument's 100 most endangered monuments in the world Restoration and preservation began in 2008 through the Calvary Fund and some original features are gradually being moved to the Slovak Mining Museum in the Old Castle for safekeeping Throughout the year there are three important feasts: the Feast of the Cross (May 3) the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus (August 6) and the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14) The latter festival is also known as the Pilgrimage of Calvary when hundreds of people come to mark the anniversary of the completion and consecration of the site along with an increasing amount of weddings And if the religious and cultural aspects do not grab you it is still worth the climb to view the panorama of rolling hills extending out around the historic site Update October 2018: After nearly 11 years of reconstruction works the late-Baroque calvary in Banská Štiavnica was opened to the public This alvary is a complex of three churches and 22 chapels and it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage list It's definitely a must-see Slovak landmark The oldest church in Serbia was also the ecclesiastical seat of the region during the Middle Ages This centuries-old wooden wonder was built in less than a year and is one of Europe's largest timber-framed churches Thousands of biblical and pagan images are carved into this small 12th-century church colorful 18th-century church is part of one of Bolivia's few surviving Jesuit missions A former military outpost of Ivan the Terrible the 16th-century church contains some of the rarest examples of Eastern Orthodox mural paintings The stunning interior of this Gothic church is covered in ornate gold details Guests can stay at a hotel in the former French abbey where lie the tombs of King Henry II and King Richard the Lionheart this chapel features an amazing dome ceiling and offers panoramic views Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker It has been over 100 days since the War in Ukraine began on February 24th. According to records from the UNHCR over 5,000,000 Ukrainians have fled across Europe to escape the fighting and nearly 80,000 have registered for Temporary Protection in the country One of the towns where the refugees have come is Banská Štiavnica It is an old mining town of roughly 10,000 people whose past fortunes came from the silver and gold found in the mines around the town The ore deposits have been mined from about the 3rd century BC and are even mentioned by Roman authors The precious metals themselves are the result of the collapse of an ancient volcano which created the caldera in which the town rests Over the centuries the town grew and changed and is now filled with a combination of medieval and renaissance architecture surrounding beautiful town squares and relics of its long mining past the population relies on tourism and recreation to keep the economy going Now into this idyllic town have come Ukrainian refugees And their inhabitants have opened their arms to those who have come The town also actively works to help and integrate them with life in Banská Štiavnica spent time in Banská Štiavnica to document the lives of the Ukrainian refugees and the townspeople who work to help them in their new homes The government of Banská Štiavnica has an integration program for those who come to the town run by Martin Macharik who is the head of the organizing committee and a member of the town parliament.  The integration process is organized by a non-government organization run by Macharik and others in town The town does pitch in with small amounts of money for each family when they arrive They also help in organizing accommodations and schooling They further help the refugees by converting the money that they have brought from Ukraine to euros “I have a double position – bit as a member of town parliament I support the town’s activities but much more I’m involved as the NGO leader where most of the integration process is going on We opened an ‘Integration club’ and have everyday programs like a Slovak and English language lessons and activites for children and a sewing club for older women.” The work is constant and keeps Macharik and his staff busy every day “There are so many jobs that need to be done daily that we now have a full-time manager for the integration club Just yesterday we drove a woman to the hospital for surgery and organized all thing around it We did not receive any money from the state or the municipality for it We paid it all from our NGO money and gifts from supporters.” While the state is financing the accommodations of the refugees and does provide 60 euros per person per month for social support the NGO group that the town runs is all volunteers who are not paid for their work Because Banská Štiavnica is a tourist town there are many places for the refugees to stay in the off season when the tourist numbers are low But since many are booked for July and August some of the families are being moved into the dormitories at a high school since they are empty during the summer for school break They have also been fortunate to find some building owners with empty apartments that they are willing to donate to host refugees Many of these apartments are not furnished and the NGO has also worked to find household furnishings for these flats for the families that will be living there “We also started a Facebook page and group where all the information they need can be found including offers for housing and job opportunities We have organized a big integration barbecue event for Slovaks and Ukrainians and this weekend there is a traditional handicrafts festival in town and the Ukrainians will have a table to show products Between 50 and 60 school students have also been attending local schools The integration center provides 4 Slovak language lessons per week to help the new students adjust to their new surroundings Some of the refugees are also working to help those who are still in Ukraine while being helped themselves in Banská Štiavnica ran a school in Kharkiv with her mother Iryna before the war She is now teaching English classes online to her students She used to have about 180 students between all her classes She has no idea where those who have gone missing are If their parents don’t reply for a day I don’t know how to tell the other students in their group.” Anastasia does hear from others and knows why they are unable to attend But their reasons for not being able to attend are heart wrenching We can’t get anywhere from here.’ Usually it’s like that.” those who have made it to Banská Štiavnica try to create new lives in the town they call home with the generous help of those in town who go out of their way to do what they can And the help and support they provide allow those refugees who are able to reach back across the border to try and help or at least give some semblance of a normal life to those who can’t escape the war that surrounds them Read More: People of Ukraine Don’t miss the latest photographic news, subscribe to Blind’s newsletter. You’re getting blind.Don’t miss the best of visual arts Subscribe for $7 per month or $84 $70 per year UNESCO World Heritage Sites are protected places that have an outstanding cultural and natural value Various international bodies united during the Word Heritage Convention of 1972 in order to protect these places for future generations to enjoy them as they are today Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) ensures that World Heritage Sites are protected all over the world The town of Banská Štiavnica is the oldest mining town in Slovakia and was established in the 13th century This beautiful historical town is located in the mountains of Štiavnické Vrchy and represents mineral wealth and prosperity which is abundant in the surrounding landscapes The town center is surrounded by remains of the original mining town and metallurgical activities of the past The ministry of environment of the Slovak republic and ministry of culture are responsible for the protection of the property within the historic town of Banská Štiavnica This site is protected by UNESCO for its outstanding universal value Bardejov town is located in north-eastern Slovakia near river Topla and the Polish border. Bardejov was able to develop into an important medieval town due to its proximity to a major trade route that extends from the Carpathian Mountains, from Hungary to Poland The town’s urban plan contains a regular division of streets which are spacious around the market squares This town characteristic is important because it is an indication or 13th Century European civilization Bardejov town features small Jewish quarters and 18th Century synagogue which is evident of a multi-cultural society The Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst are located at the north-eastern border of Hungary and the south-eastern border of Slovakia They consist of 712 caves concentrated in a relatively small area The currently identified group of caves make up a temperate-zone karstic system due to their rare combination which displays glacial and tropical climatic effects the caves are well persevered and protected with at least 99% in original natural condition The caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst attract about 300,000 visitors annually The integrity of the caves is especially sensitive to the environmental changes such as soil erosion Spišský Hrad is a historical town that ensembles the largest number of 13th and 14th century political military and religious buildings in the whole of eastern Europe The buildings are amazingly intact and display various architectural styles such as Romanesque and Gothic styles This historic site includes the town-center of Levoča which very much maintains the integrity of the original buildings Famous buildings include the 14th-century church of St James and collection of polychrome works including an 18.6-meter-high altarpiece Other world heritage sites in Slovakia include Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians Vlkolínec and the Wooden Churches of the Slovak Carpathian Mountains the protection and management of the sites is adequate management plan needs to be published for the various historical cultural and natural sites in order to strengthen and improve protection photos and original descriptions © 2025 worldatlas.com The creation of the new sculpture took about half a year The Souls in Purgatory sculpture, once stolen from the spectacular Baroque Calvary in Banská Štiavnica But the original piece of art was never found A replica was created by restorer Ján Fečo which people also called Hell due to the terrifying scene has already been placed under the altar of the Upper Church Only incomplete photo documentation remained after the sculptures were stolen by an unknown thief in the late 1980s So began the search for visual materials on which to base the work The summary of these documents was very important to create a replica The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.skSubscribe now for full access Immediate access to all locked articles (premium content) on Spectator.sk Special weekly news summary + an audio recording with a weekly news summary to listen to at your convenience (received on a weekly basis directly to your e-mail) PDF version of the latest issue of our newspaper Access to all premium content on Sme.sk and Korzar.sk The world's only Love Bank burned down during a huge fire on Saturday The Love Bank, a popular tourist attraction in the historical centre of Banská Štiavnica has been destroyed after the old building in which this unique bank is housed went up in flames on Saturday morning narrow streets and old houses attached to one another the fire spread across several structures along the roofs It lasted several hours before firefighters managed to contain the fire The Banská Bystrica Region Police said it was probably a short circuit Some people on Facebook suggested that the fire could have been prevented if the electrical system maintenance in the building had not been neglected Many volunteers, soldiers and firefighters, both from Banská Štiavnica and nearby towns tried to put out the fire in the UNESCO town on Saturday the central Slovak town asked local people via Facebook to come and help save exhibits from the Jozef Kollár Art Gallery The gallery is located several metres from the Love Bank The Denník N daily estimates that up to 300 people created a human chain to help save the exhibits Volunteers also helped save valuable exhibits from the Slovak Mining Archives The Love Bank is located on Holy Trinity Square The centre is located above the Love Bank and offers a splendid view of the hilly town five roofs belonging to national cultural monuments have already burned down,” the interim Culture Minister Natália Milanová said on Saturday afternoon “The Slovak Mining Museum and one gallery remain in acute danger.” interim PM Eduard Heger announced that the major fire was under control Seven buildings in total caught fire and are now damaged Firefighters will remain in the area until Sunday morning On Saturday, the Donio fundraising website launched an initiative to raise money for the town Heger also said that his cabinet will hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss how the interim government will help “[Banská Štiavnica] is a jewel of our cultural heritage many tourists come to visit,” Heger said “We want this town to continue to prosper from tourism.” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský tweeted on Saturday that Czechia is ready to help as well the centre of Banská Štiavnica remains closed to the public until further notice The coin with the motif of Štiavnica is the first coin in Slovakia combining 24-carat gold with hand-coloured painting The town of Banská Štiavnica in cooperation with local attraction Bank of Love prepared the first official zero-euro souvenir note and unique coin with the motif of Štiavnica in Love A helping hand in the heart of Europe offers for you Slovakia travel guide There is the well-known feature of Banská Štiavnica depicted on the note – the calvary connected with a quote of Andrej Sládkovič The artist is academic painter Karol Felix student of Professor Albín Brunovský internationally awarded in the area of stamp-making The coin with the motif of Štiavnica in Love is unique because it is the first coin in Slovakia combining 24-carat gold with hand-coloured painting “The colourful flowers on the coin are painted according to authentic Marína paintings that were preserved and kept in the archive of Slovak Museum of Mining in Banská Štiavnica created flowers with a double portrait of Marína and Sládkovič It is possible to obtain the notes and coins only personally in the Bank of Love in Marína’s house at Radničné Square in Banská Štiavnica The note was released in limited costs of 20,000 pieces The coin is accessible in gilt and silver-plated version “All inhabitants and visitors of Banská Štiavnica will benefit from the sale of notes and coins as from this money there is the plan to finance activities developing the Štiavnica in Love project,” said Katarína Javorská A helping hand in the heart of Europe thanks to the Slovakia travel guide with more than 1,000 photos and hundred of tourist spots Detailed travel guide to the Tatras introduces you to the whole region around the Tatra mountains Lost in Bratislava? Impossible with our City Guide Your weekly dose of easy reads about Slovakia Hello. We are writing about Slovakia's EURO 2020 campaign, a divisive city game, and geoparks in this week's Spectacular Slovakia weekly roundup It was the second-biggest success for Slovak football when the country made it to the round of 16 at EURO 2016. Five years on, the Slovak team is determined to prove that it has worked hard and that its spot at this year’s EURO is well-deserved “We do not want to disappoint anyone, and we really want to achieve something,” said midfielder Juraj Kucka The player helped Slovakia make it to the round of 16 at EURO five years ago as well as to the FIFA World Cup in 2010 which is still regarded as the country’s biggest football achievement The team left for Russia several days ago and all the footballers are feeling great ahead of their first game against Poland Slovakia will also play against Spain and Sweden in the group “Nobody really believes that Slovakia will go very far at this tournament, but I can see them advancing from the group at least,” Slovak journalist Rastislav Hríbik predicted for UEFA Slovak defender Martin Valjent believes the first match against Poland will be crucial adding the lack of goals is the biggest problem of the team “That result will affect many other things,” he told the Futbalsfz.sk website It is not clear which players will play in the match against Poland Even though all 26 players left for Saint Petersburg Ivan Schranz and Marek Hamšík are recovering from health problems Their coach Samuel Slovák still believes Slovakia can make a splash at this year’s EURO “The Poles have many good players plus one Lewandowski we all know that,” Slovák said “We have a strong squad and good players as well.” Slovak players are aware of Lewandowski’s qualities but they are not throwing in the towel There we will see who is better,” midfielder Ján Greguš said Ice hockey: After the withdrawal of Yunost Minsk, Slovan Bratislava has been allocated a wild card and will play in Europe’s Champions Hockey League (CHL) during the upcoming season The Slovak club will play its first game in late August Football: The captain of the Slovak national football team, Marek Hamšík is leaving IFK Göteborg and joining the Turkish club Trabzonspor Ice Hockey World Championship: With 11 points, the Slovak ice hockey forward Peter Cehlárik came fifth in a table of scoring leaders at the Ice Hockey World Championship held in Riga In a letter to his lover Marína Pischlová, poet Andrej Sládkovič writes that there are two kinds of people – those who have not been to Banská Štiavnica and those who have. A new city game recently launched in the town suggests there two more kinds of people – those who love the game and those who do not The game that celebrates the love of Sládkovič and Pischlová and the poet’s love poem which happens to be the longest love poem in the world is based on a search for benches scattered in and around Banská Štiavnica Each bench represents a place where the two lovers shared their affection back in the 19th century “A different love line is engraved in each of these 21 places,” said Igor Brossmann of the Marína a Sládkovič organisation On every bench, tourists can also spot a statuette of a couple in love reading a book. A bigger, interactive version of the statuettes is located by the house where Pischlová lived, and where the unique Love Bank museum is housed some of the locals are outraged by the statuettes of different colours “They could serve as new ‘garden gnomes.’ Must have!” one Facebook user said Many showered the Love Bank’s new initiative with criticism saying the statuettes look cheap and unoriginal and do not belong to the ancient town that is on the UNESCO list ADRA Slovensko is offering an opportunity to become a volunteer in Serbia The deadline for submitting an application falls on June 15 The Rusyns, the third-largest minority in Slovakia, will celebrate “their day” in Medzilaborce, eastern Slovakia, on June 12. (TASR) A baby zebra, which has been given the name Malala, was born in Bojnice National Zoo. Watch the video The League Against Cancer (LPR) has launched its 25th Daffodils Day public charitable collection. Volunteers will not be selling daffodils on the street this year due to the pandemic. Still, people can support cancer patients online or by sending a text message by June 20. People can download their daffodil here In Košice Zoo, three baby western Siberian eagle owls were born Slovakia's image as a tourist destination depends heavily on its capital and the Tatra Mountains while other spectacular places Even many Slovaks would fail to name four geoparks that Slovakia boasts of Geopark Malé Karpaty was been added to the list only recently on the occasion of European Geoparks Week These territories serve as a modern green tourism tool and represent a new way of spending leisure time they help protect and educate people through different stories The complicated geological structure of the Small Carpathians high geological and biological diversity and the culture influenced by them are a source of many stories Visitors can find here plenty of exceptional localities the mining area between Pernek and Pezinok as well as the karst areas around the cave Driny and the village of Plavecké Podhradie there is an effort to create a geopark in the Zemplín region Castle: A region set in the Tríbeč Mountains hides the castle ruins of Gýmeš and Hrušov and a summer residence of Czechoslovak presidents Frogs: As part of the revitalisation of the area around a water dam near the town of Levoča a walkway presenting the life of frogs will surround the dam Walking tour: Visitors to the Tatras region can find out more about the history of the villages Nový Smokovec and Starý Smokovec during a free guided walking tour during the weekend Castle: Spiš Castle is essentially a ruin and one of the largest castles in the country at the same time Malá Fatra: The green hiking trail 5660 from Tiesňavy to Vrchpodžiar within the national park will be closed until August 15 due to the nesting of the golden eagle there are still travel requirements that visitors to Slovakia must follow To help you navigate through often confusing coronavirus information on travel, we have published a Q&A guide that will be regularly updated If you do not find an answer to your question on the list We will do our best to get the answer for you from the Slovak authorities The Tyršovo embankment near the Old Bridge in Petržalka borough is one of the most valuable localities in Bratislava its potential has not been fully utilised as a large section is used as an unofficial parking lot and a camping site Bratislava plans an extensive revitalisation of the venue based on an architectural tender the city has been carrying out small procedures to improve the area Outdoor swimming pools in Bratislava will reopen on June 12. People can buy a ticket online The International Women’s Club of Bratislava will sell a selection of quality used books in different languages at a book fair in Bratislava on June 12 Every purchased book will help a child in need Prüger-Wallner Garden near the Horský park green area A total of 124 new electronic information boards have been installed at 118 public transport stops A flea market organised by the city will take place on Bazová Street on June 26-27. People can bring the usable things they do not need anymore to the OLO headquarters on Ivanská cesta until June 23 The 1944 uprising against the Nazi-allied regime part of the European anti-fascist resistance is seen as a defining moment in the history of present-day Slovakia has documented and remembered the Slovak National Uprising (SNP) located in the city of Banská Bystrica the centre of the resistance movement during the war is the venue for the annual celebrations of the SNP anniversary on August 29 The SNP Museum has recently found itself in the middle of a conflict between its management after the Culture Ministry and the Defence Ministry agreed that the museum will effectively be transferred under the control of the latter Read this story to learn more about why some see a problem in the transfer You can reach Peter at peter.dlhopolec@spectator.sk A selection of short feel-good stories from Slovakia Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia from which pessimism and negativity are absent A popular Slovak tourist attraction has been featured in a report by prestigious American daily The New York Times On Valentine’s Day, it published a story about the Love Bank museum in Banská Štiavnica, central Slovakia, describing among other things the efforts to restore it after last year’s fire The building’s underground vault where the love messages and totems are left in special love boxes survived the fire “For romantics looking to display their passion and devotion, the Love Bank in Slovakia has plenty of room in its Love Vault where 7,000 people have already deposited their keepsakes and symbols of affection, whether reciprocated or unrequited,” the story reads once home to the muse for what is called ‘the world’s longest love poem,’ almost burned down last March – the result The report goes on to describe the museum and the idea of creating it The representatives of the Love Bank called it a great promotion for not only Banská Štiavnica “We’re on the title page of the international print version which has more than 10 million subscribers which is an absolute top,” said Igor Brossman Ukrainian communities in Slovakia decided to thank Slovaks for their help and acceptance since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion of their homeland They joined forces under the #ĎakujemeSlovensko (Thank You and planned a series of volunteering events for the month of February The activities include the planting of a tree of gratitude in Bratislava painting a mural at a secondary vocational school in Galanta and a thank you event in Banská Bystrica where Ukrainian refugees help at a centre for children with autism spectrum disorder “Although being in a foreign country the Ukrainian citizens want to be active members of the society that has welcomed and protected them,” said Ukrainian Ambassador to Slovakia Myroslav Kastran “These activities show our gratitude for the extensive and varied help we have received from Slovakia and Slovaks from the entire country from Nové Zámky to Žilina.” Ice hockey player Juraj Slafkovský, a forward for the Montreal Canadiens who became the highest-drafted Slovak player in the history of the NHL During a warm-up before the match against Washington Capitals he noticed a fan holding a Slovak flag with an inscription saying HC Košice a team where the young Slovak started his career Slafkovský then came to her and gave her a puck After working in America and Greece, Yiannis Fanourakis opened a bistro in Slovakia a decade ago. The restaurant is a dream come true for him. Following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather abroad, Emil Parizek found his cousin Pablo, a descendant of immigrants. All that because of an old dusty trunk. “You can have talent, but without hard work, it’s not going to last for long. You have to be disciplined,” says Richard Varga, the most successful Slovak triathlete, in a podcast The Zemplín Museum in eastern Slovakia has opened a new archaeological exhibition Notable artefacts include the remains of a woolly mammoth and an ashtray with oldest depiction in central Europe Arnout Bloys van Treslong believed that a career in surgery was his future, but a change of heart saw him put down his scalpel and choose business instead. Last year, he became the CEO of ING Hubs Slovakia You can send me your tips on good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: radka.minarechova@spectator.sk Painter Menachem Edelman-Landau had to alter his travel plans after an unexpected event turned his life upside down Banská Štiavnica was supposed to be just one of many short stops on his travels around Europe “It seemed like a perfect place to be in,” the artist said about the town which he had known only from pictures on the Internet Having travelled over much of western Europe during his workaway stays the budget traveller arrived in Banská Štiavnica a picturesque UNESCO town hiding in the hills of central Slovakia two years after he set off on his first adventure Banská Štiavnica was then cold and under snow “It looked like a totally dead place,” he recalled the first impression of the town As soon as he met a girl named Silvia who gave him a tour around the town The garden will offer a place for barbecues and other leisure activities The garden under the Old Castle in Banská Štiavnica is undergoing renovation thanks to the skilful hands of the Tourism Association of Banská Štiavnica renewing the existing fireplace and will clean the castle surroundings in autumn “We would like to situate the gazebo at the back part of the garden,” said Martin Macharik from the Tourism Association in Banská Štiavnica The aim of the project is to create a place where visitors can relax The project should be completed by the second half of September Banská Štiavnica is a completely preserved medieval mining town in central Slovakia the subject of the longest love poem in the world by Andrej Sládkovič It should encourage more tourists to explore nature an artificial cave and Red Quarry are only some of the interesting places that can be reached through the Kysihýbel educational path for tourists The six-kilometre path with 14 stops has been reconstructed after 25 years It takes between three to three-and-a-half hours of walking “The Kysihýbel educational path came about 25 years ago on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the forestry school,” said director of the school the idea to renovate the path arose because it had deteriorated in recent years.” cultural and forestry localities of Kysihýbel said Jozef Capuliak of the National Forestry Centre in Zvolen starting and ending near the Forestry Arboretum in Kysihýbel Igor Kuhn of the Regional Organisation of Tourism Banská Štiavnica welcomed the renovation as well “When we say Banská Štiavnica But the surroundings are just as beautiful as the town itself,” he said adding that they would be glad if not only urban and cultural tourists visited “This is a good way to get them into the forests and teach them something,” he said Once one of the most endangered landmarks in the world ten years ago The Calvary in Banská Štiavnica once again has its former Baroque look The main phase of its reconstruction has ended after 11 years 18 other chapels underwent reconstruction along with the two biggest structures: the Upper and Lower Church and the statue of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary,” said Martin Macharík from the Kalvársky Fond civic association He added that sacred stairs are partly reconstructed and the Tomb of God should be reconstructed soon The reconstruction of the stairs began this year and precious frescos were revealed Its reconstruction will continue next year suitable for the scrapyard now,” noted Macharík adding that it was necessary to carry hundred tons of material up and down The main phase of the Calvary's reconstruction was finished with the Upper Church It was complicated due to two reasons – the first was the complicated terrain and the second was the many details like gold-plated suns and crosses that only mountain climbers could attach to the top of towers “When the altar was put back in the Upper Church I was touched because I personally was putting splinters and boards on the back and could not imagine that it would be as beautiful as it is today,” said architect Katarína Vošková for TASR Experts dealing with the reconstruction had to decide on the original colour of the church While one probe showed that the façade was white The Upper Church is coloured in the red typical for it and it looks as if from the 18th century While ten years ago Calvary in Banská Štiavnica was one of the most endangered landmarks in the world today it is one of the most visited places in the town The statistics of Kalvársky Fond said that 70,000 visitors visited Calvary in 2017 which is six times more than ten years ago Another task is to come up with the idea of how to ensure the preservation of the Calvary offering a view of Banská Štiavnica as well Are you looking for something cosy and romantic? The CNN gathered a list of 15 most romantic towns in central Europe Two Slovak towns are on the list – Trenčín in western Slovakia and Banská Štiavnica in the heart of Slovakia “This beautiful Slovak city is defined by an enormous fortress making it an ideal destination for history lovers,” reads the story “Trenčín Castle is a stunning feat of medieval engineering that instantly takes your breath away.” boasting a charming main square and narrow streets leading to the fortress this charming UNESCO-protected town is based in the centre of Slovakia Banská Štiavnica is now a delightful destination with a perfectly-preserved medieval Old Town old mining water reservoirs that have been transformed into recreational areas After sleeping only for a couple of hours and more than two hours’ drive we are standing in a big parking lot in the middle of the island of Bali A holy volcano mountain called Batur rises above us After two hours climbing with more than 200 people and Wayan In the volcanic mountains of central Slovakia A place where Bronze Age people sat around the fire and gossiped which legends tells was the devil’s creation Conspiracy theorists call it the world’s oldest building and the Great Wall of Slovakia where fearless miners before descending into the earth attended the local Mining Academy opened in 1762 the first university of its kind in the world Not only the tallest peak of the Štiavnica Mountains and subject of numerous legends also the most mystic and secret peak in Slovakia The picturesque hiking trail to Sitno starts near lake Počúvadlo built in order to provide energy for the silver mines a part of a sophisticated system of 60 reservoirs connected to each other by more than 100 km of channels and underground tunnels; continues through the Tatárska lúka meadow where a Turkish pasha camped with his troops and prepared a strategy to seize the Sitno Castle and rises up to 300 stairs passing the andesite rock formations where in the old chalet the stories come to life Harken to the Slovak botanist Andrej Kmeť’s story about 300 rose species flourishing in the forests of Štiavnica Mountains Téry about organising trips to Banská Štiavnica’s surroundings as a prestigious social activity only for the highest social class founding the second oldest hiking club “Sitno” in Europe and marking the very first hiking trail in Europe in 1864 Let speak the voices of the heroic knights hidden in the heart of Sitno ready to rise when the people of Slovakia need them most Read the words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe about searching for treasure in the form of unlimited wisdom Because Sitno could be the place where God’s favourite human being Dr Faust in his desire for infinite knowledge and worldly pleasures could have signed his blood pact with the demon Mephistopheles One2We is an incoming company concentrating on active far away from mass tourism; offer undiscovered and amazing places tailored-made solutions and very professional individual guiding are now returning back in Slovakia – albeit in a modified way Special wooden sleigh was once used to transport wood from high altitudes to valleys in recent years; but they are made and used rather for fun than for serious work two events involving krne took place in central Slovakia: during the Valentine weekend the first year of a race called in local dialect Štyavnyckye Krňačke was organised in the old mining town of Banská Štiavnica with strict rules concerning the construction of the racing sleigh and the way it is used no other propulsion than human power can be sued braking is secured only through the feet of competitors a Valentine’s competition and a programme for children attracted not just locals this time enabled for the contest to lead the track downhill Rastislav Marko of the town office informed a similar competition took place in the municipality of Turecká the 41st year of the event (called Krížna Cup and the 9th year of Slovak Championship) accounted for tradition and a more serious approach – the contestants fought resolutely and the winning krňačky team Stanislav Selecký and Pavol Fúrik of Jakub The best among women were Stanislava Romaniaková and Ľubica Beňová of nearby Staré Hory The krňačky race started in 1957 of the initiative of locals as part of Carnival it manages to attract people from far and near becoming also the Slovak Championship nine years ago There are several events like this in Slovakia Turecká mayor and co-organiser of the race but only the Turecká one that owns the regional protected brand for the name “krňčačky” Finnish tour operators invited to the country Timo Kousa last visited Slovakia almost 20 years ago who runs the Aurinkomatkat Suntours tour operator “Your country is beautiful, there are so many possibilities. In Bratislava you can enjoy great beer, wine or food. You are really lucky,” he told the public broadcaster RTVS last week about a hundred of representatives from Finnish tour operators have visited Slovakia To convince more Slovak tourists to visit Finland but as well help Slovakia to attract more Finnish tourists Despite both nations sharing a love of ice hockey and nature there are no direct flights between Slovakia and Finland A flight from Schwechat airport outside Vienna lasts about three hours this appears to be not very appealing to tourists 14,000 Finns travelled to Slovakia every year But they spend no more than two days in the city missing out on the places that local people enjoy visiting in the city The Tourism Ministry claims that the average number of overnight stays can be increased including the promotion of Slovakia’s hidden gems the ministry hopes to attract more foreign It is not known what Slovak people love about Finland tourism-wise but they are familiar with the food delivery app as well as other brands like Finlandia Vodka and Nokia in addition to the country’s sauna culture The love between Andrej and Marína was not meant to be This is not a story of love between Romeo and Juliet It is a real love story between Krupina-born poet Andrej Sládkovič and Marína Pišlová from Banská Štiavnica It all happened in the 19th century but did not last forever which was born in Banská Štiavnica Sládkovič wrote the longest love poem Little did he know it was going to become a modern-day treasure Banská Štiavnica has become home to a love bank which recounts Marína and Andrej’s story It is housed in a special place and offers more than a story People from all over the world store their tokens of love here Page not found: /new_vision/news/1471033/couples-valentines-day-deposit-love-bank POOR BANSKÁ BYSTRICA - smack dab in the centre of Slovakia with all the geographic credentials of a capital the city has always been a handmaiden to Bratislava and to the foreign clients of its mining resources.Spanning both banks of the Hron river and nestling against the Low Tatras Veľká Fatra and Slovak Rudohorie mountain ranges the city has a physical beauty that is difficult to beat and during the 1990s was championed by then-PM Vladimír Mečiar as a possible new capital in favour of the far-west Bratislava along with the Martin area 40 kilometers to the north.But Banská appears never to have had muscular backers behind it Hungarian King Belo IV granted the settlement town privileges - not as a mark of favour for the locals but in order to attract German settlers to develop the mining of precious metals in the area Silver was found in the nearby Banská Štiavnica a house once owned by Thurzo.photo: Zuzana Habšudová POOR BANSKÁ BYSTRICA - smack dab in the centre of Slovakia the city has always been a handmaiden to Bratislava and to the foreign clients of its mining resources Spanning both banks of the Hron river and nestling against the Low Tatras Veľká Fatra and Slovak Rudohorie mountain ranges and during the 1990s was championed by then-PM Vladimír Mečiar as a possible new capital in favour of the far-west Bratislava along with the Martin area 40 kilometers to the north But Banská appears never to have had muscular backers behind it Silver was found in the nearby Banská Štiavnica Such was the wealth of its natural resources that Banská at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries became known as the 'copper metropolis of Europe' "Copper products made here had a world-wide significance," says Milan Šoka historian and director of the Central Slovak Museum in Banská Bystrica evidence of our ancestors was unexpectedly found in ancient submerged shipwrecks in Gdansk ingots and poles pulled out of the sea bore the Banská Bystrica coat-of-arms." After early successes in developing the Banská copper mines flooding became a serious problem in the pits a nobleman and businessman from the Spiš region bought up almost all the silver and copper mines in the region from their desperate owners and brought in a foreign investor (Jakub Fugger) with whom he signed a preliminary contract in 1494 to finance pumping the mines out Fugger and Thurzo in 1495 formed a powerful Banská Bystrica copper company the Ungarischer Handel or Neusohler Kupferhandlung Using new technologies (the company's mining technique was the most sophisticated in Europe at the time) the Thurzo-Fugger cooper company also processed the raw material into finished products roof-tiles and coins manufactured in Kremnica The firm provided medical care for its 1,000 employees "The Thurzo-Fugger cooper company with its huge complex of factories and warehouses skilful organisation of production and transport became one of the largest and most modern early-capitalist firms of its kind," says Šoka "They also realised that if they wanted a good work force Compare how we were ahead of the world 500 years ago and now how the world is ahead of us," he laughs Acquiring four buildings on Banská Bystrica's main square (one of which houses today's Central Slovak Museum) the company also entered the local market with cheaper products The competition resulted in conflicts with the town's officials while the company's gradual drive to increase profits by capping workers' wages culminated in a miners' riot in 1525 The king then confiscated the Thurzo-Fugger company's property and arrested its management Mining in the region continued until the 20th century BANSKÁ Bystrica was an important business centre in the 15-16 centuries Banská Bystrica now has only reminders of its past glory - dozens of abandoned mines (the best preserved of which are in Banská Štiavnica and Špania dolina) museum exhibits of precious minerals and mining artefacts and a few important wooden carvings (Master Pavol from Levoča Barbora in Banská Bystrica's Church of the Virgin Mary's Ascension) "The precious and artistically valuable products made by local goldsmiths as they were mainly created for monarchs and higher officials "Many of these works don't even have Slovak names a miniature created out of precious stones resembling a Slovak mine scene," says Šoka.