The Charming Center of Europe
By Robert Haru Fisher
Slovakia achieved international attention when President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Bratislava’s ornate castle in February of 2005, hoping to iron out their differences over pressing problems of the moment. Since its creation in 1993 when the old Czechoslovakia was peacefully divided into the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic, the Slovak nation has not been in the US news a lot, the citizens being busy recreating their country and bringing it into the European Union (in 2004), among other activities.
The Slovak Republic lies in Central Europe, and, in fact, contains the center of Europe itself, at the Church of St. John in Kremnicka Bane, local authorities say, though there are advocates of Lithuania and the Ukraine for the center honor, too. Among Slovak superlatives are the largest medieval castle in Central Europe (Spis Castle), the biggest wooden Gothic altar in the world (St. James’s Church in Levoca), Europe’s oldest ice cave (Dobsinska ladova jaskyna), and the continent’s largest river island, Zitny ostrov in southern Slovakia. The population is just over five million, 86% of them Slovaks, the balance being minorities, the largest of which is Hungarian (10%).
Castles, Churches and Folk Art
Castles are a requisite for any American visitor on a European tour, and Slovakia more than meets the challenge with 180 of them registered, including feudal residences. The UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage Places includes six localities here, where there are also 18 urban heritage areas, ten folk architecture reserves, ten open-air museums, and delights in dozens of simple wooden churches built without nails, as well as Roman remains, and plenty of folk art. In addition, there are some 1200 manor houses and mansions to look at.
The Cachtice castle says it has the ghost of Lady Bathory, who bathed in the blood of young girls to try keeping her youth and beauty. Though she lived her, she was imprisoned in the castle as well for her crimes. You can take part in a night tour at Orava Castle or watch jousting at Cerveny Kamen. For sheer curiosity, you might enjoy the manor house in Svaty Anton, which was built with four wings (for the four seasons), 12 chimneys (for the months), 52 rooms (for weeks) and 365 windows (guess what for).
The wooden churches of Slovakia, whether Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant, are; treated as national cultural monuments, most of them in the eastern part of the country./. Some were built without using nails or any metal material, and nearly all are decorated inside with gorgeous icons, pictures and rare altars.
There are fascinating festivals of traditional folk ensembles, with songs, dances and costumes, of music in general. The largest festival is in the quaint village of Vychodna, but others in Detva, Zuberec and in the Myjava district are splendid, too. Ethnic minorities in Slovakia also have their festivities, in particular those from the Hungarian and Ukrainian communities.
Great Outdoors
Forty percent of the country is covered with forests, a percentage bested in Europe only by the Scandinavian countries. Nevertheless, golf is a new attraction here, with both 9-hole and 18-hole courses located near Bratislava, Brezno, Velka Lomnica and Piestany. In summer also, consider hiking, trekking or mountaineering in Slovakia, even on the longest path, skirting the hills of the Low Tatras for 80 km. (50 miles). In the High Tatras, you could climb the country’s tallest peak, Gerlach, at 2655 meters (about 8711 feet).
In winter, there are 30 sport resorts open, mostly in the small to medium capacity range. Snowboarding, cross-country skiing and downhill skiing are all available. You can dunk your aching body in the open-air swimming pool in several places, including at Besenova or the two Aquaparks mentioned in the Health paragraphs below.
Cuisine
Traditional Slovak cuisine can be found most readily in the north, while the south features also Hungarian dishes and many fish offerings. Basic Slovak cooking revolves around potatoes, cabbage, sheep’s cheese or mutton, added taste being given by plums, other fruit or dried mushrooms. The two local spices of interest are dill and marjoram, both of which appear frequently in dishes.
A typical dish is halusky, potato dumplings with sheep cheese, dumpling and cabbage served with duck or goose meat. Another is strapacky, dumplings made from potatoes and served with cabbage. In the northern region of Liptov, try mutton with sauerkraut, flavored with prunes, apples and; mushrooms. In the southern regions, try cabbage leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice, served with a cream sauce. Also ask for trout or baked goose with lokse (potato pancakes).
LLocal wines include excellent ones from the Small Carpathian Wine Region, which stretches from Bratislava up to Smolenice, and is home to the Small Carpathian Wine Route. The road has its own vintage festival at harvest time, usually over a three-day weekend. Also at this time is the Day of Open Wine Vaults, during which you can tour 30 vaults and sample the different products. In the spring there is the Wine Market, usually over the last weekend of April, when all is ready for tasting. If you have any energy left, you could visit the Slovensky Grob Goose Feast, at a participating restaurant in the area.
Shopping
Folk arts and crafts are very much alive in Slovakia, drawing on folk traditions from the 15th century, with nearly 1300 registered craftsmen making products from wood, straw, leather, clay, metal, woven cloth and more. Some of the best are Slovak lace, linen cloth, pottery, metalwork and wooden objects. Decorated eggs are not just for Easter here, but also as year-round symbols of love, fertility and eternity.
Health
Being Central European, the Slovaks love their spas, of which there are some 23 offering treatment based on mineral waters, each climatic spa having full medical care. (There are 1300 mineral and thermal springs, in fact.) Among the most popular spas are those in Nimnica, Sliac, Stos and Lucivna. Beethoven soaked in the Piestany spa, and Bardejov was a favorite of Napoleon’s Josephine and Sisi, better known as Austro-Hungarian Empress Elizabeth, one of the most loved royals in Central European history.
Among the more popular thermal swimming pools are those at AquaCity-Poprad, a new luxury resort, set in the High Tatras, in a national park. Spa treatments, paragliding, skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, riding schools, and what is said to the world’s longest golf fairway, are just the beginning of dozens of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and take the waters in the same place. More information at
www.aquacitypp.sk.
Said to be the first year-round thermal water park in Slovakia, the Aquapark Tatralandia Liptovsky Mikulas had nine pools, a spa with 16 water, steam, massage baths and saunas in the Tatra-Therm-Vital, with a hotel, the Holiday Village Tatralandia (2004). Contact them through www.tatralandia.sk.
Night Life TK
Most night life in Slovakia is concentrated in the capital, Bratislava, where you can attend performances of symphony concerts, ballet, opera, folk dances or other aspects of the nation's cultural offerings. Music is everywhere, it seems.
Accommodations
There are more than one thousand hotels here, and private lodgings (pensions, guest houses, youth hostels, camps, etc.) are increasing in number. Lodging is rated on a five-star basis, from one to five, that is. In Bratislava, for instance, there are 13 four-star hotels, the Number 16, Best Western, Crowne Plaza, Danube, Devin, Dukla, Holiday Inn, Hradna Brana, Ma Maison, Marosol’s, Miva, Perugia, and Radisson SAS. Then there are 13 three-star hotels, 11 in the two-star category, and two in the one-star grouping. For more information and details, visit www.travelguide.sk.
Major Destinations
Bratislava
Leaving the sometimes-blue Danube behind you, head first for Bratislava Castle, site of the Bush-Putin Summit. Dominating this town of nearly half a million citizens, it is well worth a visit. Also, check out St. Martin’s Cathedral, where Maria Theresa was crowned, one of many Hapsburgs to be elevated to the throne here. Don’t miss the Old Town for its shops and houses, or St. Michael’s Tower. Finally, see the ruins of the Devin Castle.
Spis
Outside Bratislava, the first place on your list (and UNESCO’s) to visit should be the Spis Castle, said to be the largest medieval fortress in Central Europe. It dates back to 1113, when it was a royal residence built on an important trade route to the Baltic. In the complex is the village of Zehra, where the Gothic Church of the Holy Spirit has some fine Gothic paintings and a glorious interior. Spisska Kapitula here was founded as an independent religious community.
Bardejov
Another on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list, this Gothic town dates from the 14th century, and has a well-preserved castle complex as well as Gothic and Renaissance period houses. Be sure to see St. Egidius Church (15th century) and the Town Hall (16th century) before you go out to the Spa itself (19th century). Nearby are the Museum of Folk Architecture and many wooden churches from the 17th to 19th centuries in surrounding villages.
Banska Stiavnica
This is the third of Slovakia’s four UNESCO World Heritage Sites mentioned here. The buildings in this old mining town date from the 13th century to the 18th century mostly, when digging out gold and silver were at their height. The Mining Academy here, founded in 1762, is the oldest institute of higher education of its kind in the world.
Vikolinec
This is the fourth of the UNESCO sites, with more than 40 wooden houses dating from the 15th to the19th centuries, yet all looking exactly alike from the outside.
Getting There
Getting to Slovakia is easy. There are three domestic airlines with service from European capitals to Bratislava, as well as such popular companies as Austrian Airlines, Czech Airlines, Easy Jet and Lufthansa. The domestic lines are Air Slovakia (www.airslovakia.sk), SkyEurope Airlines (www.skyeurope.com) and Slovak Airlines (www.slovakairlines.sk)
You can also come by rail, see Slovak Railways at
www.zsr.sk. Finally, you can drive here easily from anyplace in Europe, or take the bus. Check out
www.eurolines.sk, for Slovak Coach Transport information.
Slovak Tourist Board Contacts
For more information, contact the Slovak Tourist Board at Slovak Commercial & Tourist Office, 10 E. 40th St. (Suite 3606), New York NY 10016, phone 212/679-7044, fax 212/679-7045, website
www.cometoslovakia.com or email
SlovakOffice@nyc.rr.com. |
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