Holiday apartment in Riečka: Church, Riečanské Vrchy and hiking trails

Riečka can be explored through its buildings, memorabilia and trails. The Late Classicist Catholic Church of Riečka was built in 1858.

Culture

In the cadastral area of Riečka stands the Chapel of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary, built between 1790 and 1792. Its original statue was severely damaged by vandalism in 1953; today, the chapel houses a statue from the Church of Riečka.

The Catholic Church of Riečka contains a folk Pietà statue. A memorial room has been established in part of house no. 126; most of its exhibits come from private collections belonging to residents of the municipality. Riečka also retains numerous 19th-century buildings of folk architecture.

The cultural heritage is thus distributed among sacred buildings, a memorial room and preserved examples of folk architecture. The building history of the chapel, the statue in the church and the collection items originating from the municipality each represent a distinct aspect of the place.

History

The historical economy of Riečka also included the work of day labourers. They were employed in the ironworks of Tajov and Banská Bystrica, as well as in the surrounding mines.

The historical working life of Riečka was therefore connected with several of the places mentioned: Tajov and Banská Bystrica are named alongside the surrounding mines. This economic section supplements the sacred and architectural heritage with the working history of the municipality.

Landscape

The Riečanské Vrchy are located in the Kremnica Mountains. There is a viewpoint there that is a destination for tourist excursions. The hills and valleys of Riečka are also rich in springs; more than 20 springs that are still in existence have been counted.

On the way

The Barborská cesta offers an alternative hiking route from Uľanka via Riečanské sedlo to Riečka. From Riečka, a marked alternative section of the Barborská cesta continues to Tajov. Ascents of the Riečanské Vrchy are organised in summer and winter; traditional ascents also include a year-end ascent.

The two details about the Barborská cesta describe a sequence with named stops: the alternative route comes from Uľanka via Riečanské sedlo to Riečka, after which a marked section continues to Tajov. The ascents of the Riečanské Vrchy, by contrast, are described by season, with an additional date at the end of the year.

In the surroundings of Riečka, near the Prameň Pátra Mateja spring area, there is a public rest area beside a hiking trail leading to Riečka. The Areál oddychu pri Prameni pátra Mateja rest area in Riečka served as the venue for a community gathering. In the wider regional surroundings of Riečka, there are opportunities for hiking on marked trails to Riečanské sedlo, as well as on cycling paths.

Local life

The Riečanská hostina is considered a traditional festival in Riečka and took place in mid-August. At one documented Riečanská hostina, goulash, pumpkin, boiled corn and homemade specialities were offered. At a documented edition of the baking competition in Riečka, five teams baked more than 20 sweet and savoury varieties of yeast cake.

The traditional festival details make the local customs concrete: at the Riečanská hostina, several named dishes are served alongside homemade specialities, while the baking competition is characterised by five teams and more than 20 sweet and savoury varieties of yeast cake.

Other places

Other places: Horné Pršany, Kraliky, Podkonice, Moštenica, Medzibrod, Staré Hory, Povrazník, Malachov.

To the higher-level travel overview: Okres Banská Bystrica.