Staré Hory: Educational Trails, Mining History and Pilgrimage

Staré Hory is home to two educational trails, protected natural areas, a mining history and religious sites. The “Lesnícky náučný chodník Jozefa Dekreta Matejovie” educational trail runs for 9.5 km from Dolný Jelenec to Staré Hory and has 13 stations. It is self-guided, can be walked in both directions, follows a linear route on foot and is accessible year-round. The first stage of the “Barborská cesta” route leads from Banská Bystrica to Staré Hory. Another educational trail, the “Partizánsky chodník”, runs from Špania Dolina to Staré Hory, is 11 km long and includes five stations.

Nature

The “Lesnícky náučný chodník Jozefa Dekreta Matejovie” educational trail runs through Veľká Fatra National Park and the Dekretov porast protected area. Majerova skala in Staré Hory is a protected natural formation established to protect a distinctive rock formation with protected and endangered plant and animal species. The Dekretov porast above Rybô covers 6.22 ha and contains valuable larches, spruces, firs and beech trees that are almost 200 years old.

Jelenec is an approximately 600-metre-long rocky strip above the main road between Staré Hory and Donovaly. It stretches westwards from the monument to Jozef Dekret Matejovie towards Dolný Jelenec. The E77 main road also passes through Staré Hory on the Banská Bystrica–Ružomberok route.

History

Staré Hory was founded in the 13th century as a mining settlement. A private permanent exhibition next to the “Kaplnka sv. Anny” chapel documents the mining history of Staré Hory and the associated mining settlements through texts and images. The permanent mining exhibition displays 377 collection objects. In addition, the regional local-history exhibition at Staré Hory 106 opened in 2010.

The Starohorská lace-making tradition is part of the cultural heritage. It is a characteristic expression of folk art and is connected with the mining tradition of the municipality of Staré Hory in the Banská Bystrica District. The MOR-HO monument stands in the settlement of Dolný Jelenec in Staré Hory and is dedicated to the members of the fifth battalion of the “Pomstiteľ” partisan brigade. The monument to Jozef Dekret Matejovie near Dolný Jelenec was unveiled on 16 September 1913 and is considered the oldest monument dedicated to him.

Staré Hory holds an annual public commemorative event for the Slovak National Uprising, featuring a cultural and sports programme.

Faith

Staré Hory’s Marian pilgrimage tradition dates back to the end of the 15th century. The “Bazilika návštevy Panny Márie” Basilica is a centre of Marian devotion in the Diocese of Banská Bystrica. The “Rímskokatolícky Kostol Návštívenia Panny Márie” church in Staré Hory was granted the status of a minor basilica in 1990.

Today, Studnička in Staré Hory refers to an expanded pilgrimage complex. The “Kaplnka sv. Anny” chapel was built in 1794, renovated and given new interior furnishings in 1832; it continues to serve its religious purpose. The Staré Hory Calvary includes the “Kaplnka Panny Márie Sedembolestnej” chapel, which dates from 1893.

Other places: Spania Dolina, Dolný Harmanec, Môlča, Malachov, Priechod, Hiadeľ, Horné Pršany, Medzibrod.

For the broader travel overview: Banská Bystrica District.