Museums and galleries Mýto pod Ďumbierom

In the Heart of Slovakia, in the Horehronské podolie basin lined by the wall of the Nízke Tatry mountains in the north and the ridges of the Slovenské Rudohorie in the south, lies the Brezno district. One of the most interesting places in this region from a cultural and historical perspective is undoubtedly the rectangular Námestie generála M. R. Štefánika square in the center of the district town. It is precisely here that the historical buildings of the Horehronské múzeum v Brezne museum are located. One of the oldest museums in Slovakia boasts an impressive collection of over 30,000 objects. Through its interesting exhibitions, it introduces visitors to the history and culture of the population of upper Pohronie.

The museum has three facilities. It has its headquarters in the beautiful historic town hall on the Brezno square. The building itself, with its lunette and sail vaults, exudes times past. It was built in 1770 through the reconstruction of an older Renaissance building. The museum's second facility is the town house No. 13, standing on two separate plots of ground-floor 16th-century houses. The third and final building of the museum is a peasant-craftsman homestead on Rázusova street. In its premises, the unique blueprinting technique of master Ján Roštár and a horse-driven wooden mangle from the early 19th century have been preserved. In simple terms, it can be called the largest iron in Slovakia. It consists of a wooden tub filled with stones, under which cylinders with linen were placed. It will surely convince visitors that ironing today is a walk in the park.

The exhibition section of the museum consists of three separate collections. The first of them, titled Život a kultúra ľudu na Horehroní (Life and Culture of the People in Horehronie), is situated in the town hall. It introduces visitors to traditional culture, which has almost disappeared from the real life of the Horehronie people. It includes period objects representing folk clothing, sheep farming, agriculture, forestry, woodworking, textile production, leather processing, and folk architecture. The gem of this exhibition is undoubtedly a representative display of the ironworks in Hronec titled Krása liatiny a smaltu (The Beauty of Cast Iron and Enamel).

The second exhibition part of the museum, Brezno in the Changes of Time, is prepared for visitors in a renovated town house. Through the historical collection, it presents the history of the town of Brezno from its origin to the end of the First World War. Here you will learn about important personalities of Brezno whose work contributed to the progress and development of social, political, and cultural life in the town.

The last exhibition of the Horehronské múzeum is Literary Brezno, located in the renovated premises of the old granary at the Evangelical rectory. Here you can get acquainted with the history of literary life in the town, the life and work of Martin Rázus, and with important literary figures from the mid-17th century.

If, during your travels around Slovakia, you also visit the heart of our beautiful country, make sure not to miss the opportunity to get to know its cultural and historical heritage. And when you visit Brezno, go for a walk underground in the nearby village of Bystrá. Located here is the Bystrianska jaskyňa, typical for its narrow and high corridors and the huge, 56-meter-deep abyss Peklo. Another major attraction of Horehronie is the Čiernohronská železnica railway, which in the past served to haul timber. Visitors enjoy combining a trip in open carriages with a tour of the Lesnícky skanzen Vydrovo open-air forestry museum. If you have been thinking about a holiday in Horehronie for a long time, it is time to turn your ideas into reality. Book your accommodation near the Horehronské múzeum v Brezne and set off across the region for new experiences. Accommodation in Brezno boasts affordable guesthouses and picturesque cottages and chalets in the immediate surroundings.

Even a museum can be interesting. Múzeum lanovky Von Roll is precisely one of them. This museum is located right on Chopok in the building of the former valley station of the fourth section, namely in Kosodrevina. You can reach the museum from the village of Tále, but if needed, also directly from Demänovská Dolina. For a regular visitor, this museum is not that visible, but it will tell you about the beginnings of tourism in the Low Tatras.

The first cable car with a detachable chair connecting Liptov with Horehronie. This is another way to look at Múzeum lanovky Von Roll. At the time of this cable car's construction, it was a European unique phenomenon by the standards of those days. The principle worked in such a way that only a chair occupied by skiers accelerated and attached to the haul rope. This suited elderly people in particular, who do not like boarding while in motion. During the ride, passengers sat sideways to the direction of travel and were protected from the weather by a canopy. Up to 220 people per hour were transported from one side to the other. A system that has not been surpassed even by the most modern technologies to this day.

A Moravian company brought this super-modern Swiss technology in the past, having similarly developed the cable car to Lomnický štít in 1949. The best times of the Von Roll cable car were precisely from its inception in 1949 until 1998. For a few more years, its section was used for supply purposes, but in 2012 it was dismantled.

If you come to this museum, you can view literal technical wonders inside its premises. It is situated at an altitude of 1,494 meters above sea level. Come and enjoy smaller items as well as a passenger car, a freight car, and a maintenance car. You will be captivated by how people a few years ago managed to invent an original detachable system. In 2014, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of Demänovská Dolina, a commemorative plaque was unveiled to Alojz Lutonský, who stood at the birth of this cable car.

So that you do not have far to go from either side of Chopok, feel free to book accommodation near Múzeum lanovky Von Roll. It is entirely up to you whether you choose accommodation in Tále or accommodation in Jasná. Perhaps the nature of Národný park Nízke Tatry will catch your interest, and your full-day trip in hiking boots is taken care of. Nearby, you can take a look underground in Jaskyňa mŕtvych netopierov or play golf on the top green of the Gray Bear Tále golf course. We are convinced that a tour of the museum, along with your other itinerary, will fulfill a whole day's holiday in Slovakia.