Home > Caves > Show caves > Harmanecká Cave > Attractions and services in the surroundings

Harmanecká Cave

A serpentine path leads from the state road in direction Banská Bystrica - Turčianske Teplice to the Harmanecká Cave. The entrance part called Izbica was known to local woodcutters and workers from long ago, however the cave was discovered only in 1932. White soft flowstone dominates the cave and it is one of the most important localities of bat occurrence in Slovakia.

Attractions and services in the surrounding

Great Fatra National Park

Great Fatra

Rounded grassy highlands as remains of the Valahia colonizing create the peculiar character of this mountain range. The immigrants who flooded the Slovak mountains in 16th – 17th century cut out and burned off vast areas of forests, mainly in the crest positions of the mountains, thus changing them to pastures. Now when the shepherds gave way to nature protection in some places, the highland meadows begin to be grown over by trees again, but the characteristic trait of the landscape with picturesque vegetation and solitaires of trees still remains. The typical scenery of the Great Fatra mountains is shown by lonely slag of dolomite nappe on a grassy crest in the Kráľova studňa saddle.

Other show caves

Bystrianska Cave

Located in the sinkhole zone of the Bystrá-Valaská karst in the Bystrá foothill of the Upper Hron River Valley, on the southern edge of the Bystrá village.

Other caves not open to public

Except for the show cave Harmanecká Cave – Izbica, there are smaller caves, not open for public in the Harmanec neighbourhood. They are important as palaeontological, archaeological localities with occurrence of rare fauna. Among the known caves belong Horná and Dolná Túfna Cave, Dekrétova Cave and several others not completely surveyed yet. They are mostly situated in higher elevations of the cliff branches.

Harmanec Tunnel – the longest tunnel in Slovakia

Čremošiansky Tunnel

Another interesting side of the locality is traveling by train from Banská Bystrica to Diviaky. This 35 km long part of the railway has 22 tunnels cut through the Great Fatra Mts., ends with the Čremošné tunnel as an example of combination the construction and nature. The longest tunnel is the Harmanecký tunnel 4,700m long (28.9.1936).

The beauty of the Harmanecká Valley with so many tunnels is attractive also for the film makers. The tunnels can be seen in films Day, which won’t die (director Martin Ťapák, 1973), Thousand years' old bee (Juraj Jakubisko, 1983), Peacemaker (Mimi Leder, 1996),...

Harmanec Yew Forest

National nature reserve from 1949 with area of 20 ha to protect the natural old stand of the Tertiary relict – European Yew growing in the limestone beech forest stand. The location of European importance – Natura 2000.

Kráľova Well 1,365m

A strong spring rising from below the coarse-grained talus. In the north there is a bold cliff of the Kráľova skala 1,377 m. Abundant calcifilic vegetation around. Mountain hotel Kráľova studňa (accommodation only for advance booked guests)

Staré Hory 1536

Previous mining settlement (copper and silver), with a Baroque building of the old mining office and a dominant – pilgrim Gothic church from 1448. There is an interesting technical work of water power station above the village. Starting point for tours in the valley and Turecká village.

Turecká village

Turecká village is located 17 km to the north-west from Banská Bystrica in the Great Fatra Mts. It lies at elevation of 610 m on the foothill of the Krížna massive with 1,574 m elevation. The first mentions on the village are from 1563. The original inhabitants were charcoal burners, who burned it for neighbouring mines in the Starohorská Valley. Turecká village is by its location predetermined for tourism, mainly the winter sports and mountain hiking.

Other sights

Banská Bystrica city, Turčianske Teplice spa, ski resort Park Snow Donovaly