Holiday apartment in Sunava: Educational Trail, Church and Watershed

Nature

At Park dvoch morí in Šuňava, the Central European watershed divides the drainage toward the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea. Park dvoch morí in Vyšná Šuňava is a local landmark connected with the Central European watershed. The “Strecha dvoch morí” obelisk monument stands in a small park next to the church; this park is called Park dvoch morí. The monument, erected in the municipality in 2007, depicts a symbolic roof divided into two parts. It illustrates the flow of water using the springs and rivers shown.

Several connections therefore come together in the park: the name of the place, the watershed and the depiction of the divided watercourse. The monument makes this geographical relationship visible in symbolic form. At the same time, Park dvoch morí remains spatially connected with St. Nicholas Church because the obelisk monument stands in the small park next to the church.

Trails

The “Náučný chodník 2” educational trail is a footpath that can be used in summer and winter and leads through easy terrain. It is 9.00 km long, has a stated elevation difference of 195 m above sea level, takes about 3 hours and includes 6 stations. Route D7, designated as “CESTNÁ REKREA”, runs for 2.4 km between Štrba and Vyšná Šuňava.

The educational trail is therefore defined not only by its route, but also by its temporal and spatial scope: the approximate duration of 3 hours, the length of 9.00 km and the 6 stations are just as much part of the description as the easy terrain and the stated elevation difference of 195 m above.

Culture

St. Nicholas Church in Vyšná Šuňava is a Neoclassical church built in 1832. Its interior has a single nave, and the chancel has a straight end. A sacristy is attached on the north side, while the projecting tower is located on the west side. The main altar is Late Baroque and dates from the end of the 18th century. It includes a statue of St. Nicholas from the 19th century and was restored in 1887 and embellished with acanthus ornamentation.

In its preserved form, the church brings together several periods: the building dates from 1832, the Late Baroque main altar dates from the end of the 18th century, and the statue of St. Nicholas from the 19th century forms part of its furnishings. The 1887 restoration and the added acanthus ornamentation are also part of this sequence.

The Šumiháj folklore group was officially founded in Vyšná Šuňava on the initiative of the ethnographer PhDr. Ján Olejník, CSc. It preserves local customs and performs the stage programs “Regrútska odobierka”, “Svadba”, “Za chlebom”, “Fašiangy sa krátia”, “Ide jar”, “Na Ondreja” and “Nôty, moje nôty”. The group regularly performs at the Zamagurské folklórne slávnosti, as well as at various celebrations and events in the municipality and its immediate surroundings.

The repertoire ranges from “Svadba” and “Regrútska odobierka” through seasonal programs such as “Ide jar” and “Fašiangy sa krátia” to “Na Ondreja” and “Nôty, moje nôty”. Performances at the Zamagurské folklórne slávnosti and at events in the municipality and its immediate surroundings provide a public stage for this preservation of local customs.

The Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity is considered Šuňava’s oldest building. According to the mayor, it was built by Jesuits in the 16th or 17th century on the boundary of the former municipal lands of Nižná Šuňava and Vyšná Šuňava.

Other Places

Other destinations: Spišský Štiavnik, Spišská Teplica, Zdiar, Stola, Nová Lesná, Strba, Hôrka, Velký Slavkov.

To the higher-level travel overview: Poprad District.