Technical monuments Severné Slovensko

In the center of the village of Terchová, which is known as the tourist center of Malá Fatra thanks to its geographical location, lies a unique attraction. The wooden moving nativity scene belongs among the unique treasures in Slovakia and is visited by numerous people every year. On your list of places that you can see among the attractions in Terchová, definitely do not miss this spot.

During opening hours, you can come and see the beauty of the woodcarving with your own eyes. Local folk masters paid great attention to detail and embellished the largest church in Slovakia dedicated to the Thessalonian brothers. In Kostol sv. Cyrila a Metoda, a nativity scene made of linden wood consisting of three parts is crafted.

The first part of the nativity scene focuses on depicting the traditional history of the village along with its typical crafts. Here you will find figures engaging in agriculture, metal production, and other manual work. In the second part, you can look at the place where Jesus Christ was born, namely a humble dwelling with a manger and farm animals. In the third part of the nativity scene, a contrast is visible. It consists in the depiction of Jerusalem as a city full of luxury and prosperity.

This breathtaking work was created by the hands of the Terchová folk woodcarver Štefan Hanuliak. He was assisted in his work by figure caster Jozef Holúb and movement mechanic Štefan Krištofík. The nativity scene as such is the second largest nativity scene in Slovakia and is enriched with something new every year. A keen eye will not miss that there are still plastic figures in the nativity scene. These are gradually being replaced with wooden ones.

If this masterpiece caught your interest and you have already viewed the nativity scene, be sure to plan trips to the surroundings. The village of Terchová is sought after mainly for its many points of interest. You can get closer to the legend of Jánošík directly at Socha Juraja Jánošíka, which towers over the village. It might be worth considering booking a typical wooden house in Terchová and enjoying views directly facing it as well. From a bird's-eye perspective, you will look at the beauty of Orava nature from the observation tower Terchovské srdce. Together with your children, plan an excellent ski trip during winter from a guesthouse in Terchová in Vrátna dolina at the resort Vrátna Free Time Zone. We will gladly recommend the best accommodation near Drevený betlehem Terchová.

Medvedia štôlňa in Žiarska dolina is the only old mining site in Liptov that is open to the public. Žiarska dolina is located at the end of the village of Žiar in the Liptovský Mikuláš district, in the Západné Tatry mountains. It is one of the most visited valleys in Liptov, both in summer and in winter.

The adit ranks among the rarities of old mining works in the Tatras. Its length is up to 550 m, making it the longest among them. It was officially opened to the public in 2012 and has since belonged among the very popular Liptov attractions. Given that the mine follows a quartz vein, it is assumed that precious metals, likely gold, were once mined here.

The name may confuse some. It is not called "bear" because it used to be a bear's den. For a long time, a tourist information board stood near its entrance warning that visitors were entering an area where bears occur in abundance. And because the board and the entrance to the mine were indeed close to each other, the name of the adit was clear.

During a visit to the underground, various emotions will sweep through you, and you will take away a lifelong experience. Moving by the light of a burning oil lamp, feeling the cold and humidity, hearing the echo of every step and rustle—it is simply something unique. Absolutely all your senses will awaken.

For children, setting out into the land of the legendary underground realm Aghartha is a great experience. One of the stops is right in Medvedia štôlňa in Žiar, near St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners. Collect a coin, a confirmation for your map, and off you go to other parts of the fairy-tale land. Netopierikovo, Mincovníčkovo, and Permoníkovo are still waiting for you. It is great fun full of adventures.

You can get almost all the way to the adit by car, parking approximately 200 m from its entrance. If the article caught your interest, we recommend booking accommodation near Medvedia štôlňa right away. Get inspired, for example, on the page accommodation Žiar or accommodation Liptovský Mikuláš; both locations are very good starting points for a trip. Moreover, attractions in Liptov are each better than the last. Whether you want to rest, hike up hills, relax by swimming in warm water, enjoy great skiing, or learn interesting information in a museum, you will experience all of this in this place. Liptov has almost unlimited options for fun.

Slovenský betlehem is a masterpiece by the woodcarver Jozef Pekar. You can admire it in the Žilina district, in Rajecká Lesná, more precisely in the House of God's Mercy (sometimes referred to as the House of the Nativity of Christ). Its name is not accidental; in addition to the commonly depicted birth of Christ, it also portrays the history of the Slovak nation. Besides the best-known sceneries that are inextricably linked with Slovakia, master Pekar also captured the everyday life of Slovaks in the past.

What is fascinating is that the betlehem is not static, but the figures move, thereby adding to the overall authenticity of the masterpiece. This also enables people who do not like reading about history and customs to absorb this interesting part of our history. Because just as children stand in awe and with open mouths in front of Slovenský betlehem, adults often stand there with bated breath as well.

Jozef Pekar began working on this woodcarving masterpiece after his retirement in 1980. It took him a long 15 years to complete it. The work was ceremonially opened to the public on November 26, 1995, back then still without the Eastern Slovak and Western Slovak regions. However, those were carved and added to the work in subsequent years. Every Slovak location is blessed. The dimensions of the betlehem are 8.5 m in length, 2.5 m in width, and 3 m in height. Altogether, there are about 300 figures on the area, of which approximately half are static and the other half move. Some are working, others are having fun. If you look closely, you will even see a bear running by.

Rajecký betlehem, as locals sometimes call it, is a rarity towards which people from all over our country head daily. However, the work is so well known that it is nothing unusual to hear another national language around it. It ranks among the largest wooden carved betlehems in all of Europe. The building where Slovenský betlehem is located also exhibits woodcarvings by other Rajecká Dolina woodcarvers, be sure to check those out as well. They are located on the first floor.

If the wooden betlehem has caught your interest, we recommend planning a multi-day trip right away and combining it with a visit to other attractions. You can easily find accommodation near Slovenský betlehem on our portal. The accommodation in Rajecká Lesná subpage has a truly diverse offer, and everyone is sure to find something. Finally, we will give you a small tip: visit the Frivaldská kalvária, beneath which a healing spring flows.

On the southeastern foot of the massive Slavkovský štít, above the heads of residents and visitors of Starý Smokovec, lies a popular and easily accessible year-round tourist center. It is Hrebienok that regularly transforms into a magical ice kingdom during the winter months. Scenery as if cut out of a popular modern fairy tale was named Tatranský ľadový dóm Hrebienok. And since ice does not last here in warmer seasons, the ice dome takes on a new, unique form every year, inspired by monumental global landmarks. Tourists therefore love to return here, making their winter skiing trip or Christmas holiday atmosphere more enjoyable with a visit to this icy beauty.

You can visit the ice dome in Vysoké Tatry during the winter season. Sculptors' work usually begins as early as autumn so that the icy masterpiece is accessible to the public on time. Visitors come here from the second half of November until May of the following year. After that, the gates of the ice kingdom close so that it can rise again in a new outfit for the next winter, inspired by the beauty of world architectural wonders. Occasional concerts and performances by artists, held right against the backdrop of this magnificent ice kingdom, offer a unique experience.

Every year, the ice structure is protected by a 25-m diameter dome, which completes its unique atmosphere. Entry is free of charge for visitors. You can comfortably reach Tatranský ľadový dóm via the Pozemná lanovka na Hrebienok funicular from the Starý Smokovec station. Therefore, the trip is also favored by families with children and active seniors enjoying unusual beauty set in the picturesque environment of Vysoké Tatry.

Winter in the Tatras is truly fairytale-like. Come and enjoy the unique atmosphere brought to perfection by master sculptors. Under their hands, a new Tatranský ľadový dóm Hrebienok is born here every year. You can combine a trip to Hrebienok with a walk to Rainerova chata or to Vodopády Studeného potoka. And what would a winter holiday in our high mountains be without great skiing? Located directly in Starý Smokovec is the popular Jakubkova lúka ski resort. It attracts skiers not only with excellent snow conditions, but also with a gentler slope suitable for children and less experienced skiers. And when the Tatra winter penetrates right beneath your jackets, spend a pleasant evening in a chalet or guesthouse providing accommodation near Tatranský ľadový dóm Hrebienok. There is certainly no shortage of offers in the Tatras. Accommodation in Starý Smokovec and the nearby area will satisfy the demands of even the most discerning vacationers.

Just by reading the name of the attraction, you will figure out how to find your way around this interesting sight. Slnečné hodiny Nová Lesná (Sundial Nová Lesná) is located directly in the sub-Tatra village of Nová Lesná. This scientific device designed for measuring time will catch your attention as an attraction under the Tatras mainly for children, but adults will marvel at it as well.

Sundials as such work on the principle of incident light. Therefore, if you want to experience firsthand how this ancient device works, plan a trip to see it during beautiful sunny days. The space of the structure as such consists of three elements: the sundial, the panoramic orientation object, and meditation stools. If it were not for the idea of creating the sundial by Mr. Nosek and Ms. Šimoníková, this project would not have been successfully realized.

Time is a relative quantity. Here, you can spend a long time reflecting on yourself or watching the movement of the Sun in the sky by the sundial. The uniqueness of this work lies in the fact that the clock as such is multiple. What does that mean? You can look at the southern clock, western clock, or noon clock. Simply put, you can say that the western clock shows time only in the afternoon, the noon clock shows true local time in the settlement of Malý Smokovec, and the southern one shows daylight saving time (in Arabic numerals) as well as the time for the rest of the year (in Roman numerals).

At the panoramic orientation object, observing the surroundings is particularly interesting. On the installed spatial structure, you will learn information regarding the panorama of the Vysoké Tatry. How wonderful it is to admire individual peaks in the distance, their altitude, and imagine conquering them. Excellent for every tourist.

The meditation stools are part of the area in front of the southern dial of the sundial. There are precisely 12 wooden stools intended for sitting, observing the surroundings, and meditating. They symbolically correspond to the number of hours in a day as well as the number of months in a year.

If you decide to visit this picturesque village, definitely do not miss its attraction. On a sunny day, you will recharge your energy here and learn the exact time. From the sundial, you can also plan a trip to nearby attractions in the area. It will be best to wake up in the morning in accommodation near Slnečné hodiny Nová Lesná, or in accommodation in Nová Lesná, but do not snub accommodation in the Tatra settlements either. From an apartment in Starý Smokovec, you can take a look into Tricklandia, and from private accommodation in Dolný Smokovec, winter sports at the Pod lesom ski resort will come in handy. It is up to you how you decide to spend your time.