Veľká Franková – Mountains, Border Trails and Culture

Veľká Franková is located in the Spišská Magura mountain range and in the valley of the Frankovský potok stream. A red-marked hiking trail runs through the village via the Malá Franková tourist border crossing to the Polish municipality of Kacwin.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Veľká Franková, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies on the listing pages. When planning further, you can keep the desired period, specific category and applicable conditions in view separately.

For comparing other location pages, you can also visit Busovce, Spišská Stará Ves, Lechnica, Slovenská Ves, Jezersko, Vrbov, Osturna and Červený Kláštor.

Nature

Below Veľká Franková, the Frankovský potok joins the Osturniansky potok to form the Kacwinianka, which flows into the Dunajec in Poland. The water connections therefore extend from the valley near Veľká Franková into the Polish river system.

Hiking and Cycling

The red-marked trail leads from the border via Malá Franková to the ridge of the Spišská Magura at Magurka mountain, at an elevation of 1,193 m, and continues to Ždiar. From Veľká Franková, an asphalt cycling path also leads across the border crossing to the neighbouring Polish municipality of Kacwin. On the cross-border cycling path, two small waterfalls can be seen along the Ostrunianka, one on the Slovak side and one on the Polish side.

The hiking trail and cycling path are presented as different types of activity; the information about markings, surface and route helps compare the preferred form of transport. For day planning, the two routes can be distinguished by their different characteristics: the hiking trail connects the border, ridge and onward route, while the cycling path is described as an asphalt route to Kacwin. This places a route with an elevation component alongside a cross-border route featuring the two waterfalls on the Ostrunianka as differently described forms of transport.

History

Veľká Franková was probably founded as early as the end of the 13th century by members of the Berzevici noble family from Veľká Lomnica under German or šoltýs law. The first genuine original document attesting to the existence of Franková dates from 1314. The historical occupations of the inhabitants of Veľká Franková mainly included agriculture, livestock farming and forestry work.

Culture

The Church of Saint Nicholas was built in 1784 in the Classicist style and has a late Baroque high altar with Rococo ornamentation. The wooden bell tower dates from 1921 and has four bells, cast in 1921 and 1924 by a bell foundry from Chomutov. It stands on the grounds of the Church of Saint Nicholas from the 19th century.

The water mill and sawmill in Veľká Franková preserve an original saw frame that is still functional today. Both facilities are accessible by prior arrangement. The Church of Saint Nicholas is in good condition and serves its religious purpose.

For the higher-level travel overview: Kežmarok District.