Širkovce: Holiday apartment between Kapla Castle and Natura 2000

Širkovce combines a distinctive landscape with traces of different eras and a vibrant community life. The village lies at the foot of the Cerová vrchovina hills in the southwestern part of the Rimavská kotlina basin and on the right bank of the Rimava River. In the southern part of the municipality, the terrain ranges from flat to hilly. There are oak forests and black locust stands there. At the same time, the cadastral area of Širkovce belongs to the Cerová vrchovina a Rimavská kotlina Natura 2000 site.

Nature and landscape

These geographical features give Širkovce a clear landscape setting: the Cerová vrchovina hills lie at the foot of the village, while the municipality extends into the southwestern section of the Rimavská kotlina basin. The Rimava forms another defining geographical feature along the right bank. In the south, flat and hilly terrain alternate; oak forests and black locust stands are part of the landscape there. The protected-area designation explicitly remains linked to the cadastral area of Širkovce and the Cerová vrchovina a Rimavská kotlina Natura 2000 site.

Culture

The village has a municipal museum. Its architectural heritage includes the Reformed Church of Širkovce, built in 1718. It is a hall church with an attached tower, a flat coffered ceiling, and wooden Protestant galleries. The church is in good condition and continues to be used for religious purposes. The manor house of Širkovce is listed in the restoration priorities register of the Slovak Ministry of Culture under reference number 11794/1.

The park in Širkovce is used for cultural events. An amphitheatre stands beside a pond with a spring. The combination of the park, water source, and event venue is therefore just as much part of the local cultural setting as the museum, church, and manor house.

History

A marked hiking trail leads from Širkovce to the ruins of Širkovský Castle. In addition, an approximately 1.5-kilometre-long blue-marked hiking trail runs from Širkovce to Kapla Castle. Kapla Castle was built in the 13th to 14th century; today, only its ramparts and foundations are visible. Archaeological investigations at Kapla Castle uncovered older settlement traces from the Stone and Bronze Ages alongside the castle remains.

The site of Kapla Castle can be reached by train, car, on foot, or by bicycle.

Events

The annual community calendar includes a fair with demonstrations of traditional crafts, a cultural programme, and refreshments, as well as Community Days. Širkovce has also introduced the tradition of an agricultural machinery exhibition. Together with the cultural events in the park, this creates an events profile in which the local community, crafts, agriculture, and cultural programming stand side by side.

When planning your stay, you can compare holiday apartment offers in Širkovce. On the respective offer page, you can check the exact location, type of accommodation, possible occupancy, included services, price components, and booking and cancellation conditions before making a reservation. This information belongs to the individual offer and is presented separately from the landscapes, buildings, trails, and events described. This keeps the selection focused on the specifically stated information.

Other places

To explore other places, you can continue to Konrádovce, Jesenské, Husiná, Budikovany, Horné Zahorany, Studená, Hodejovec, and Hostišovce.

For the broader travel overview: Rimavská Sobota District.