Gánovce
Encyclopedia
Gánovce is a village in the Poprad District
of the Prešov Region
in northern Slovakia
, situated 3 km south-east from the town of Poprad
.
spearmen
, who enjoyed a higher social and legal status than ordinary peasants from the neighboring villages. The village was best-known for its healing hot springs
, already mentioned in 1549, and a spa
existed there until 1992.
style (13th century) features Gothic
fresco
es from the 14th century, a Gothic wooden altar
(from 1500), a Baroque
altar, and two ancient bell
s (14th and 18th century).
The travertine
rocks near the village are an important archaeological site, in which a skull of a neanderthal
man and remnants of prehistoric animals have been found. The neanderthal skull is a casting of brain cavity, dating from 100,000 years ago and was found in 1926. The original is now deposited at the Czech National Museum in Prague
and a copy is found in the Slovak National Museum
at the Bratislava Castle
. An exhibition dedicated to the "Man of Gánovce" is in a museum in Poprad.
Poprad District
Poprad District is a district inthe Prešov Region of eastern Slovakia.Until 1918, the district was almost entirely part of the Hungarian county of Spiš, apart from two small areas in the...
of the Prešov Region
Prešov Region
The Prešov Region is one of the eight Slovak administrative regions. It consists of 13 districts.-Geography:It is located in north-eastern Slovakia and has an area of 8,975 km². The region has diverse types of landscapes occurring in Slovakia, but mostly highlands and hilly lands dominate the...
in northern Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, situated 3 km south-east from the town of Poprad
Poprad
Poprad is a city in northern Slovakia at the foot of the High Tatra Mountains famous for its picturesque historic centre and as a holiday resort. It is the biggest town of the Spiš region and the tenth largest city in Slovakia with a population of approximately 55,000.The Poprad-Tatry Airport is...
.
History
Gánovce was mentioned for the first time in written records in 1317 as "villa Ganau". However, the church in Gánovce is older, dated to the 13th century and the settlement called Filice (originally a separate village, but united with Gánovce in 1924) was already mentioned in 1236. Gánovce was inhabited by the SpišSpiš
Spiš is a region in north-eastern Slovakia, with a very small area in south-eastern Poland. Spiš is an informal designation of the territory , but it is also the name of one the 21 official tourism regions of Slovakia...
spearmen
Spearman
Spearman could refer to any of the following:* Spearman, an ancient combat unit, armed with a spear, and in some cases, a shield* Spearman, Texas* Charles Spearman, an English psychologist...
, who enjoyed a higher social and legal status than ordinary peasants from the neighboring villages. The village was best-known for its healing hot springs
Hot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
, already mentioned in 1549, and a spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
existed there until 1992.
Landmarks
The church, built in the early-GothicGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style (13th century) features Gothic
Gothic art
Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that developed in France out of Romanesque art in the mid-12th century, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, but took over art more completely north of the Alps, never quite effacing more classical...
fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
es from the 14th century, a Gothic wooden altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
(from 1500), a Baroque
Baroque sculpture
Baroque sculpture is the sculpture associated with the Baroque cultural movement, a movement often identified with the existence of important Baroque art and architecture in non-absolutist and Protestant states.-Course:...
altar, and two ancient bell
Church bell
A church bell is a bell which is rung in a church either to signify the hour or the time for worshippers to go to church, perhaps to attend a wedding, funeral, or other service...
s (14th and 18th century).
The travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
rocks near the village are an important archaeological site, in which a skull of a neanderthal
Neanderthal
The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia...
man and remnants of prehistoric animals have been found. The neanderthal skull is a casting of brain cavity, dating from 100,000 years ago and was found in 1926. The original is now deposited at the Czech National Museum in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and a copy is found in the Slovak National Museum
Slovak National Museum
The Slovak National Museum is the most important institution focusing on scientific research and cultural education in the field of museological activity in Slovakia...
at the Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle
Bratislava Castle is the main castle of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.The massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on a quite isolated rocky hill of the Little Carpathians directly above the Danube river in the middle of Bratislava...
. An exhibition dedicated to the "Man of Gánovce" is in a museum in Poprad.