Holiday apartment in Šaštín-Stráže: Pilgrimage, Culture and Gazárka

In Šaštín-Stráže, pilgrimage, cultural history and nature activities come together. Šaštín is a pilgrimage site where thousands of believers from Slovakia and Moravia meet every year. The Basilica of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary in Šaštín is Slovakia’s national shrine. Construction of the present basilica began in 1736. In 1964, Pope Paul VI elevated the Shrine of the Seven Sorrows in Šaštín to a minor basilica. The pilgrimage provides the religious setting, while the construction period and ecclesiastical status also place the basilica in its historical context. Thus, lived religious practice and documented architectural history meet in the same place.

Pilgrimage and Culture

Religious architectural history, the historic townscape and Jewish heritage in Šaštín are connected with different periods and locations. The central square of Šaštín has a triangular layout and several historic houses with decorated façades. The Calvary of Šaštín dates from the late 18th century and, unusually, stands on level ground rather than on a hill. This combination of the square’s design, the religious complex and its unusual topographical setting gives the historical information different spatial and chronological accents.

The synagogue in Šaštín dates from 1852 and is one of the older synagogues in Slovakia. The first Hungarian textile manufactory, known as “Kartúnka”, was founded in the former manor house in Šaštín. One of the largest Jewish monuments in Slovakia is located in the Jewish cemetery in Šaštín. The cultural perspective therefore extends beyond religious buildings and also includes Jewish history and the former textile industry.

Nature and Activities

The Gazárka recreational area combines a distinctive history of its formation with various opportunities on and in the water. Gazárka consists of five lakes that were created after sand extraction. The lakes of Gazárka have landscaped sandy beaches with gently sloping access to the water.

In the Gazárka recreational area, forest roads and trails allow hikers and cyclists to discover sights in the surrounding area, both nearby and farther afield. The same recreational area offers water cycling and boating. Angling competitions are held in Gazárka every year. In this way, forest routes, activities on the water and a regularly recurring event coexist within the same recreational area.

Cycling Route

A cycling route just under 3.5 kilometres long in Šaštín-Stráže leads from the Basilica of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary to a cycle route running along the Myjava River. The connection lies within the cadastral area of the town of Šaštín-Stráže and places the basilica and the river landscape on a shared route. The route therefore describes a clearly named connection between the religious site and the course of the Myjava River within the town area.

More destinations

More destinations: Moravský Svätý Ján, Šajdíkove Humence, Kúty, Podbranc, Sekule, Hradište Pod Vrátnom, Smrdáky, Smolinské

To the higher-level travel overview: Senica.