Holiday apartment in Staré Hory – nature trails, mining history and pilgrimage

Staré Hory reveals its character on several levels: paths and landscapes exist alongside places of remembrance, mining history and religious traditions. As a result, different themes come together in the Slovak municipality without any one of them defining the place on its own.

Trails and nature

The “Lesnícky náučný chodník Jozefa Dekreta Matejovie” educational trail runs for 9.5 km from Dolný Jelenec to Staré Hory and has 13 stations. The route is self-guided, can be walked in both directions and is laid out linearly as a footpath. It can be used all year round. Its course lies within Veľká Fatra National Park and the protected Dekretov porast area.

The protected natural features in Staré Hory also include Majerova skala. This protected natural formation preserves a distinctive rock formation with protected and endangered plant and animal species. Above Rybô, Dekretov porast covers 6.22 ha. Valuable larches, spruces, firs and beeches that are almost 200 years old grow there.

Geographical setting

The E77 trunk road runs through Staré Hory on the route between Banská Bystrica and Ružomberok. A long-distance trail connection also reaches the village: the first stage of the “Barborská cesta” route leads from Banská Bystrica to Staré Hory.

Another educational trail is the “Partizánsky chodník”. It leads from Špania Dolina to Staré Hory, is 11 km long and has five stations. Jelenec refers to a rocky strip approximately 600 metres long above the state road between Staré Hory and Donovaly. It extends westwards from the monument to Jozef Dekret Matejovie towards Dolný Jelenec.

Culture and history

Staré Hory was established as a mining settlement in the 13th century. The permanent private exhibition next to the “Kaplnka sv. Anny” chapel documents the mining history of Staré Hory and its associated mining settlements through texts and images. This permanent exhibition displays 377 collection objects. A regional local-history exhibition at Staré Hory 106 opened in 2010.

The Starohorská bobbin lace-making tradition is also associated with the mining heritage of the municipality of Staré Hory in the Banská Bystrica District. It is considered a characteristic expression of folk art. The public cultural life also includes an annual commemorative event for the SNP, featuring a cultural and sporting programme.

In the Dolný Jelenec settlement of Staré Hory, the MOR-HO monument commemorates the members of the fifth battalion of the “Pomstiteľ” partisan brigade. The monument to Jozef Dekret Matejovie also stands near Dolný Jelenec. It was unveiled on 16 September 1913 and is considered the oldest monument dedicated to him.

Pilgrimage and sacred sites

Staré Hory’s Marian pilgrimage tradition dates back to the end of the 15th century. The “Bazilika návštevy Panny Márie” Basilica is a centre of Marian devotion in the Diocese of Banská Bystrica. The “Rímskokatolícky Kostol Návštívenia Panny Márie” church in Staré Hory was granted the status of a minor basilica in 1990.

Today, Studnička refers to an expanded pilgrimage complex. The Staré Hory Calvary includes the “Kaplnka Panny Márie Sedembolestnej” chapel, which dates from 1893. The “Kaplnka sv. Anny” chapel was built in 1794, renovated and fitted with new interior furnishings in 1832; it continues to serve its religious purpose.

More village pages: Kraliky, Brusno, Harmanec, Turecká, Moštenica, Riečka, Badín, Nemce.

For the higher-level travel overview: Banská Bystrica District.