Learn more about Slovakia
Slovakia
Slovakia (Slovak: Slovensko) is a landlocked republic in Central
Europe with a population of over five million. It is a member of
the European Union (since May 1, 2004) and borders Czech Republic
and Austria in the west, Poland in the north, Ukraine in the east
and Hungary in the south. The largest city is its capital,
Bratislava. The Slovak landscape is noted primarily for its
mountainous nature, with the Carpathian Mountains extending across
most of the northern half of the country. Amongst them are the high
peaks of the Tatra mountains, where the High Tatras are a popular
skiing destination and home to many scenic lakes and valleys as
well as the highest point in Slovakia, the Gerlachovský
štít at 2,655 metres (8,711 ft). Major Slovak rivers,
besides the Danube, are the Váh and the Hron. The Slovak
climate is temperate, with relatively warm summers and cold, cloudy
and humid winters. In terms of tourism, Slovakia is an
up-and-coming European Union country. Tourism and food in Slovakia
remains relatively cheap as compared to Western Europe, but prices
are currently adapting very quickly to the continental market.
Slovakia is particularly noted for its numerous mountain ski
resorts, historic cities, caves, wooden churches, national parks
and other natural features. Some 40 percent of Slovakia is
forested. Slovakia’s forests are home to brown bears, wolves,
foxes, wild boars, rabbits, squirrels, weasels, and muskrats.
Chamois and lynx can be seen in mountain areas. As one of few good
heritages from the former Communist regime, Slovakia features an
extraordinarily high percentage of national parks and other
protected area spaces (see National Parks in Slovakia). There are
hardly any mountain ranges and areas not under some form of
protection. One of Slovakia’s main tourist attractions are the
Alpine Tatra Mountains (see Tatra, High Tatras, Vysoké Tatry
and Low Tatras for details), the highest part of the Carpathians.
They feature many rare plant and animal species and offer numerous
ski, mountain walking and mountaineering opportunities. The High
Tatras have been a final candidate for the Winter Olympics several
times. Rivers and streams in the mountains of Slovakia are often
used for rafting and other white-water based activities. Using
boats, kayaks and canoes is also very popular in Slovakia (and the
country has won many of its Olympic medals in these sports). The
use of rafts has a very long tradition in Slovakia and especially
rafts on the spectacular Dunajec river are very popular among
tourists. Slovakia’s karst areas offer an extremely high number of
caves and their list is being expanded every year due to new
discoveries. The number of caves per capita is the highest one or
among the highest ones in Europe. Thirteen caves are open to the
public, the longest one of which is 9 km long. Some of them have
been proclaimed UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Among them,
Ochtinská Aragonite Cave is one of three aragonite caves in
the world. Slovakia is reputed to be one of the countries with the
highest number of fortified castles (most of which are
unfortunately ruined) per capita in the world. In the Middle Ages,
castles or at least forts were built in proximity of virtually
every settlement. The best known castles are the Bojnice Castle
(featuring in many international movies, especially fairy tales),
Spiš Castle (the largest fortified castle in Europe, on the
UNESCO list), Orava Castle, Bratislava Castle (some 4,000 years
old) and the ruins of the Devín Castle. The Cachtice Castle
used to be home of the world’s most prolific female serial killer,
the ‘Bloody Lady’, Elizabeth Báthory. Ancient stone churches
can be found in virtually any village and town in Slovakia. Most of
them are built in the Baroque style, but there are also many
examples of fine Romanesque and Gothic architecture (for example in
Banská Bystrica, Bardejov, and Spišská
Kapitula). The St. James Church in Levoca (with the highest
wood-carved altar in the world) and the Church of the Holy Spirit
in Žehra (with precious medieval frescos) are UNESCO’s World
Heritage Sites. Other highlight is the St. Martin’s Concathedral in
Bratislava, which served as the coronation church of the ancient
Kingdom of Hungary. The oldest sacral buildings in Slovakia stem
from the Great Moravian period (9th century). Very precious – and
expensive to maintain – structures are the complete wooden churches
of northern and northern-eastern Slovakia. Most were built from the
15th century onwards by Catholics, Lutherans and members of
eastern-rite churches. Slovakia is also rich in songs, dances, folk
art, folk costumes and folk architecture. Complete original
historic villages however have been preserved only in some cases,
such as in Cicmany, Vlkolínec (UNESCO site), Brhlovce,
Špania Dolina, Osturna, Podbiel, Stará Hora in
Sebechleby, Plavecký Peter, Velké Leváre and
Ždiar. The Dielo shops network sells works of Slovak artists
and craftsmen. These shops are mostly found in larger towns.
Typical souvenirs from Slovakia are dolls dressed in folk costumes,
ceramic objects, crystal glass, carved wooden figures,
crpáks (wooden pitcher), fujaras (a folk instrument on the
UNESCO list) and valaškas (a decorated folk hatchet) and above
all products made from corn husks and wire, notably human figures.
Such typically Slovak souvernirs can be bought in the shopd of the
state organisation ÚLUV (Ústredie ludovej umeleckej
výroby – Center of Folk Art Production). Shopping is
possible in most towns and cities in large shopping malls,
municipal markets, and small shops. Prices of imported products are
generally the same as in the neighbouring countries, whereas prices
of local products and services, especially food, are usually much
lower.
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