Memorials Zuberec

On the Háj hill, which rises to an altitude of 748 m a.s.l. above the town of Liptovský Mikuláš, you will find Lesopark Háj-Nicovô. It is a popular cultural and recreational zone and a frequent visiting spot for locals, as its summit offers a beautiful panoramic view. You will see the Vysoké Tatry with the unmistakable Kriváň, the Západné Tatry, and the Chočské vrchy on the northwestern side. The western side reveals the Veľká Fatra, while the southern side reveals the ridge of the Nízke Tatry. The highlight of the view is an exceptional vista of Liptovský Mikuláš and the Liptovská Mara water reservoir.

The dominant feature of the summit is the military memorial and cemetery Háj-Nicovô. More than 1,350 fallen heroes rest here. Their graves are arranged along the sides of a monumental staircase. Right by the bottom steps are sculptures, one symbolizing peace and victory, the other depicting an oath to the battle flag. After reaching the top step, you arrive directly in front of the centerpiece of the memorial, a pylon with several reliefs and a five-pointed star at its top.

You can reach the top of Háj along the paved Cesta generála R. Kunu road, which is also known as Cesta hrdinov. Passanger cars and bicycles are permitted on it, but you will also find pedestrians and often mothers with strollers there. In winter, the road is not maintained. However, a forest route via the Príroda a krajina educational trail, which copies the Vojenská história trail, is very popular among locals. In addition to walking, exploring nature, and learning about history, there is much more to do at Háj. You can play sports or spend time with children at an original wooden playground, and you can also find the first Slovak eco-friendly clay target shooting range here.

The Príroda a krajina educational trail is 1.3 km long, has an elevation gain of 140 m, and is marked with a green hiking trail marker. The ascent to Háj via this trail represents a walk along a deep-sea floor. More than 45 million years ago, Liptov was submerged under the sea, as evidenced by various fossils. In the insect hotel, you can admire the fascinating world of insects; however, on the way to it, you will first pass through a mixed forest with a rare specimen, a black poplar that is over 100 years old. The end of the trail is a sweet finishing touch, as there are stairs of time located there. They show a cross-section of the geological bedrock of the Liptovská kotlina basin, going back to 460 million years ago.

The Vojenská história educational trail is 0.47 km long and is a flat walk along a red hiking trail marker. Educational boards inform about troops and weapons, as well as the subsequent restoration of the devastated territory, as bloody battles of World War II took place here. The memorial area, to which the educational trail leads, was made accessible in 1961 along with the memorial and cemetery. It is the final resting place of battle victims, and since 2018, it has also served as a Pomník novodobým vojnovým veteránom (Monument to Modern War Veterans). This stands as a tribute to soldiers who died while fulfilling duty assignments in foreign missions and operations.

You can also run up to the summit of Háj; there are even two routes named after well-known Slovak athletes and natives of Liptovský Mikuláš. The blue route of whitewater slalom canoeist Michal Martikán is 5.3 km long with an elevation gain of 175 m. The yellow route of alpine skier Petra Vlhová is 3.3 km long with an elevation gain of 140 m. Both routes are classified as moderately demanding. A regional cycling route also passes through the area.

Being in Liptov means being surrounded by beautiful nature and many opportunities for activities. Lesopark Háj-Nicovô offers you amazing views, an easy hike, and the chance to discover another chapter of our history. The accommodation page Liptovský Mikuláš will take care of your stay, while the trip tips page Liptov will provide options for how to spend your free time during your visit.

Surrounded by the waters of Oravská priehrada, Slanický ostrov, also known as Ostrov umenia. has been located here since 1953. Its area covers 3.5 hectares. When you see the island from a distance, it might strike you at first glance as appearing deserted. Although no one lives on it, visitors walk across it regularly. This is because the exhibitions of Oravská galéria Dolný Kubín are installed here, and summer events are also occasionally organized on the island.

Slanický ostrov umenia is a remnant and monument of the submerged village of Slanica. The Kostol Povýšenia sv. Kríža church was preserved from it, although it was not always a church. When it was built between 1766 and 1769, it represented a Baroque chapel; it was only in 1843 that it was rebuilt into a church with two towers and a classicist chapel was added to it. In front of it stands a monument to Anton Bernolák, a bronze statue dating from the mid-1930s.

Inside the church, there is an exhibition from Oravská galéria entitled "Slovak Traditional Folk Sculpture and Painting". Traditional folk visual art has always belonged among the typical elements and expressions of a country's national culture, and Orava is no exception. Orava statues belong to the cult of the Virgin Mary, originating from Polish Galicia. Their authors were mostly self-taught artists who, when carving, simply let themselves be guided by their own inspiration and skill. Thus, in the spirit of local woodcarving traditions, these small works of art were created, though unfortunately only a limited number of them have survived.

In the island's exterior, there is a torso of the original cemetery and a lapidarium of “Orava Stonemasonry Creation of the 18th and 19th Centuries”. An exhibition of Orava stonemasonry has been installed in it since 1973. To this day, individual reliefs and statues of saints have been preserved in their original locations, such as cemeteries, calvaries, churches, or chapels. Believers often decorated them with various vivid colors or different crowns and paper flowers on special occasions. In the former tomb, the exhibition “History of Submerged Villages and the Construction of Oravská Priehrada” is installed. The combination of the attractiveness of the installed exhibitions together with the beautiful natural scenery of the island makes this place one of the most visited and popular cultural sites in Orava.

You can reach the island by boat, which drops you off here during a sightseeing cruise on Oravská priehrada. It is truly a great experience that both children and adults will remember for a long time. We therefore recommend finding accommodation near Slanický ostrov umenia and allowing yourself enough time to get to know this area from a different perspective. Being buoyed by the larger and smaller waves of the reservoir is something you simply need to experience. Book your stay on the pages accommodation Námestovo or accommodation Orava and come discover the attractions in Orava firsthand.