One
of the oldest towns of the middle Slovakia region. Zvolen is situated in the
southwestern part of the basin of Zvolen by the confluence of rivers Slatina and
Hron under the promontory of Javorina mountain range. The first written notice
about the settlement comes from 1135 and is related to the locality of Pustý
hrad ( a castle) where used to be the center of power administration. From
the 14th century it served as a residence of county
administrator of Zvolen who changed the estate for the Zvolen castle at the end
of the 15th century. Penetration of the Turks to the surroundings of
mining towns required improvement of castle fortification and building new
forts. The Zvolen castle was fortified
with a participation of Italian engineers at the end of the 16th
century. At the same time there were made walls around the city.
The Zvolen castle ( a national
cultural monument) is a gothic building masterpiece. It was ordered to be
built by the Hungarian king Ľudovít Veľký z Anjou (Ľudovít the Great
from Anjou) as a gothic hunting residence in the 2nd half of
the 14th century. The building was renewed by the later owner –
Hungarian aristocrat Ján Thurzo at the turn of the 15th and 16th
century. Being influenced by the Turkish raids it was rebuilt in renaissance
style in the 16th
century again. Today, its space is used by the Slovak national gallery and
exhibits of the European medieval art and Slovak modern art. The Fairs of the
Zvolen castle take place at the castle courtyard annually during the summer
months.
In July, Zvolen is a place of international folk festival of
university groups called The Academic Zvolen. The gothic church of sv. Alžbeta
attracts the attention of the visitors. It was built at the 2nd half
of the 13th century. There are passage townhouses built in various
styles in the historical square. The oldest monuments are remnants of the county
castle in the locality of Pustý castle from the period of reign of Bela III.
Places of Interest
 Zvolen
is a good departure point to surrounding mountains. Recreation complex
Neresnica with a cottage settlement and automobile campsite is suitable for
difficult water sports and fishing. These options can be offered by a typically
suburban recreation locality Môťová, too. Another center of summer recreation
is the spa Kováčová together with a surrounding grove of pines. Moving part
defects and nervous disorders are healed in this spa using carbon disulfide and
magnesia-calcareous mineral waters of 47,5 º C
There is a monument
of Janko Kráľ built by academic sculptor Ján Kulich in 1962 in the courtyard.
The
spa Sliač and a national airport have a first-rate significance for
the district from the aspect of tourism. Circulation system defect are healed
here. The mineral springs have a temperature of 13 ˚ C. The water is
of a disulphate- hydrocarbonate, calcareous-magnesium character. The
municipal transport to Zvolen is another advantage. Events of cultural summer of
Sliač delights the patients and visitors during the summer months.
Except
the traffic artery of international importance situated southwards from the
district town Zvolen attracts our attention mainly country sites which dispose
with preserved objects of folk architecture – farm houses with wooden carved
gates and occasionally people clad in folk costumes. If we continue southward
along this route, ruins of the castle Dobrá Niva and a Romanesque catholic
church built round year 1241 with a valuable interior grab our attention.
Another
possibility of cognition routes is a protected area – Arborétum –
Borová hora (hill) and botanic garden, which are able to satisfy event the most
exigent visitors of nature. There is a very interesting stroll along a newly
created cognition-tourist path from ice-ring to the already mentioned Pustý
hrad (castle).
Are you interested in our town, do you want to know more, all, you
are interested in and even more you will find on multimedia CD about town Zvolen.
Info: phone +421-45-5335339, 5429268
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