Tatranský národný park
Tatranský národný park is the oldest of all 9 national parks in our territory. It is designated by the abbreviation TANAP. It extends across the north of Central and Eastern Slovakia, in the region of the Tatry mountains. It consists of two main subunits: Východné Tatry (comprising Vysoké Tatry with a length of 26 km and Belianske Tatry with a length of 15 km) and Západné Tatry (with a length of 37 km). It reaches into the Žilinský kraj and Prešovský kraj regions, specifically the districts of Liptovský Mikuláš, Kežmarok, Poprad, and Tvrdošín. The national park covers an area of 73,800 ha, supplemented by a protective buffer zone spanning 30,703 ha. It features a network of 600 km of hiking trails and 16 marked, maintained cycling routes. The administration of Tatranský národný park has offices in Svit and Liptovský Mikuláš.
Tatranský národný park has a complex geological structure. Its relief was once shaped by glaciers, as evidenced by their remnants in the form of attractive Tatran tarns (plesá). The Tatry as a whole are mainly composed of granite and other crystalline rocks from the Paleozoic era. The climate here is one of the coldest and rainiest in our territory. Two-thirds of the national park's protected area are covered by spruce or spruce-fir forests. The only accessible cave is Belianska jaskyňa.
History of the national park
Tatranský národný park was established on January 1, 1949. Five years after its founding, a national park was also created on the Polish side of the Tatry. Its name is identical, Tatrzański Park Narodowy, and together with it, Vysoké Tatry form a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve under the Man and the Biosphere Programme. The lowest point is at an altitude of 710 m a.s.l. Conversely, the highest point of Vysoké Tatry and the entire national park is the peak of Gerlachovský štít at an elevation of 2,655 m a.s.l. The highest point of Západné Tatry is Bystrá (2,248 m a.s.l.), while the highest in Belianske Tatry is Havran (2,152 m a.s.l.). Among other highlights, we can include Modré pleso (the highest-situated tarn, elevation 2,192 m a.s.l.) and Veľké Hincovo pleso (the largest and deepest tarn, surface area 20.08 ha, depth 53.7 m).
In the past, the most frequent visitors to this natural territory were treasure hunters, herbalists, miners, hunters, and naturally, poachers. Rumors about Vysoké Tatry circulated around the world, with the first printed mention of them dating back to 1549. From then on, other explorers gradually began discovering them, eager to explore their beauty. At the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, the first scientific works about Vysoké Tatry began to emerge.
In times long past, nature was everywhere. People felt that there was an abundance of it, and therefore no thought was given to protection. This only changed after the founding of the Hungarian Carpathian Society (Uhorský karpatský spolok) in the last third of the 19th century. People began to discuss various conservation associations and considered how to protect different species of Tatran flora and fauna. It was also necessary to regulate the areas where livestock grazed. The society was very active, fighting against poachers, withstanding the pressure of herders, and striving in every way to save Tatran nature. It also permitted the importation of non-native plants, such as rhododendrons originating from the Austrian Alps, and agreed to their acclimatization. The society dissolved after World War I, which caused significant damage to Tatran nature as well. The neglect of forest care, massive timber theft, a free hand for poachers, and the recklessness of herders all had a negative impact. The role of the society was partially taken over by the Club of Czechoslovak Tourists (Klub československých turistov) and the German Karpatenverein.
Fauna and flora of TANAP
Tatranský národný park contains numerous protected and rare species of plants and animals within its territory. The fauna of Tatranský národný park bears traces of the existence of extremely cold periods during the Ice Ages as well as subsequent warmer periods. Therefore, cosmopolitan, Palearctic, European, and endemic species occur here. An enormous quantity of all represented animal species can be found here. Research continuously takes place within the national park, discovering more and more species of animals. Among the rare animals living in the park, we can mention the Tatran marmot, golden eagle, Tatra chamois, or brown bear.
The flora of Tatranský národný park includes a wide array of diverse plants, ranging from submontane and thermophilic species, through forest, mountain, and moisture-loving plants, to alpine species. Various rare species can be found here that you will not find anywhere else in Slovakia or the Western Carpathians. These include, for example, the Tatra bellflower (zvonček hrubokoreňový) or Tatra poppy (mak tatranský). There are also representatives of glacial relics, remnants from the Ice Ages, such as mountain avens (dryádka osemlupienková) or glacier buttercup (iskerník ľadovcový). Rare plants also include the spring pasqueflower (poniklec jarný) or black sedge (ostrica černastá). National park staff focus primarily on protecting mountain and high-mountain plants, among the more well-known being dwarf pine stands or the beautiful edelweiss (plesnivec alpínsky).
The administration and staff of Tatranský národný park exert great effort to spread awareness among the public. In 1957, the Museum of the Tatranský Národný Park was established in Tatranská Lomnica. In the same year, a professional Mountain Rescue Service (Horská služba Tatranského národného parku) was set up. Over time, they also took the administration of the Symbolic Cemetery near Popradské pleso under their wing. Regulation of expanding built-up areas was implemented, and several hiking trails were closed or discontinued. In 1979, the "Clean Mountains" (Čisté hory) initiative was launched for the first time, aiming to cleanse the high-mountain environment of omnipresent litter.
Our generation remembers very well the devastating windstorm that swept through the Tatry region, and thus through the territory of Tatranský národný park, on November 19, 2004. Wind gusts reached devastating speeds of 230 km/h in places. The wind was classified as a hurricane, representing the largest Tatran disaster since 1936. More than 12,000 ha of forest were damaged. Subsequently, the forest stands were damaged by bark beetles. Many conservation organizations intervened on-site, preventing the clearance and removal of damaged stands. Sad statistics indicate that between 2004 and 2016, bark beetle infestations destroyed as many trees as the 2004 hurricane itself.
Tatranský národný park today
Since 1972, visitor numbers in Tatranský národný park have been regularly measured and recorded. While in the 1970s the average daily attendance was between 16,000 and 20,000 visitors per day, after a record in 1981 (26,250 visitors), the numbers began to decline significantly. A resurgence was recorded only at the end of the 1990s. Monitoring in recent years has shown that at the peak of the summer season. When people visit the mountains seeking healthy physical activity, cooling off, or enjoying well-deserved views—approximately 60,000 people move through TANAP daily. Among the most visited locations are Rysy, Kriváň, Skalnaté pleso, Štrbské pleso, Popradské pleso, as well as the area of Hrebienok and Studené doliny.
There are 14 nature reserves, 3 national natural monuments, and 27 national nature reserves within Tatranský národný park. It is difficult to list the most attractive or exceptional among them, as each of these places is unique, excels in its own way, and appeals to tourists differently. The best approach would be to explore them all. However, you do not become a true Tatran local or nature lover simply by the number of kilometers you have hiked along the trails. True transformation happens in the heart, out of conviction. It is precisely these people who help protect and flourish nature so that many future generations can discover and enjoy its beauty. Let us be considerate of nature. Let us teach our children to do the same. Let us spread awareness. Let actions speak for us, not boastful words.
So come and pay homage to the majestic Tatran nature. Book your accommodation near Tatranský národný park. There are more than enough options, as the park covers a vast area. Try choosing based on the planned trips you wish to take in the surroundings. Once you have a plan, you can visit the pages accommodation Prešovský kraj or accommodation Žilinský kraj. You will certainly find a location that fits perfectly into your travel plans.
