Low Tatras National Park
Encyclopedia
Low Tatras National Park is a national park in Central Slovakia, between the Váh
River and the Hron
River valleys. The park and its buffer zone cover the whole Low Tatras mountain range. The National Park covers an area of 728 km² and its buffer zone covers an area of 1,102 km², which makes it the largest national park in Slovakia.
It is divided between the Banská Bystrica Region
(Banská Bystrica
and Brezno
districts), Žilina Region
(Ružomberok
and Liptovský Mikuláš
districts) and Prešov Region
(Poprad District
). The park was established in 1978 and at first covered 811 km², and the buffer zone took 1,240 km²; 2 051 km² together. Its borders were adjusted in 1997, reducing total area to 1,830 km². The highest peak is Ďumbier
(2,043 m or 7,063 ft). Four major Slovak rivers rise below the Kráľova hoľa
peak: Váh, Hron, Hnilec
and Hornád
.
, Tále
, Demänovská dolina
, and Čertovica
. The following caves are open to the public: Demänovská jaskyňa Slobody
(Demänovská Cave of Freedom), Demänovská ľadová jaskyňa (Demänovská Ice Cave), Bystrá Cave, Važecká Cave
and the Cave of Dead Bats.
Váh
The Váh is the longest river in entire Slovakia. A left tributary of the Danube river, the Váh is 406 km long, including its Čierny Váh branch...
River and the Hron
Hron
Hron is a 298 km long left tributary of the Danube and the second longest river in Slovakia. It flows from its source located in the Low Tatra mountains through central and southern Slovakia, pouring into the Danube near Štúrovo and Esztergom...
River valleys. The park and its buffer zone cover the whole Low Tatras mountain range. The National Park covers an area of 728 km² and its buffer zone covers an area of 1,102 km², which makes it the largest national park in Slovakia.
It is divided between the Banská Bystrica Region
Banská Bystrica Region
The Banská Bystrica Region is one of the Slovak regions in the country of Slovakia in Europe.-Geography:It is located in the central part of Slovakia and has an area of 9,455 km². The region is prevailingly mountains, with several ranges within the area. The highest of them are the Low Tatras...
(Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica District
Banská Bystrica District is a district in the Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia. Until 1918, the area belonged to the county of Zvolen within the Kingdom of Hungary.-Municipalities:*Badín*Baláže*Banská Bystrica*Brusno*Čerín...
and Brezno
Brezno District
Brezno District is a district inthe Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia. Until 1918, most of the present-day district belonged to the Zvolen county, apart from Polomka in the east which was part of the county of Gemer a Malohont....
districts), Žilina Region
Žilina Region
The Žilina Region is one of the eight Slovak administrative regions and consists of 11 districts .-Geography:It is located in northern Slovakia and has an area of 6,804 km² and a population of 694,763 . The whole area is mountainous, belonging to the Western Carpathians...
(Ružomberok
Ružomberok District
Ružomberok District is a district inthe Žilina Region of central Slovakia.Until 1918, the district was part of the Hungarian county of Liptov.- Municipalities :*Bešeňová*Hubová*Ivachnová*Kalameny*Komjatná*Likavka...
and Liptovský Mikuláš
Liptovský Mikuláš District
Liptovský Mikuláš District is a district in the Žilina Region of central Slovakia.Until 1918, the district was part of the Hungarian county of Liptov.- Municipalities :*Beňadiková*Bobrovček*Bobrovec*Bobrovník*Bukovina...
districts) and 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...
(Poprad District
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...
). The park was established in 1978 and at first covered 811 km², and the buffer zone took 1,240 km²; 2 051 km² together. Its borders were adjusted in 1997, reducing total area to 1,830 km². The highest peak is Ďumbier
Dumbier
Ďumbier is the highest mountain in the Low Tatra range, in central Slovakia. Despite the remains of medieval mines , the massif is now protected as a part of the Low Tatras National Park....
(2,043 m or 7,063 ft). Four major Slovak rivers rise below the Kráľova hoľa
Králova hola
Kráľova hoľa is the highest mountain of the eastern part of the Low Tatras in central Slovakia. Four rivers rise at its foot: Čierny Váh, Hnilec, Hornád, and Hron...
peak: Váh, Hron, Hnilec
Hnilec River
The Hnilec ) is a river in Slovakia. Its source is located below the Kráľova hola hill. It flows into the Hornád river near Margecany. The Palcmanská Maša dam is located on the river near Dobšiná. Places of interest along the river include the Dobšinská Ice Cave and the Slovak Paradise....
and Hornád
Hornád
Hornád or Hernád is a river in eastern Slovakia and north-eastern Hungary.It is a tributary to the river Sajó, which is itself a tributary to the river Tisza. The source of the Hornád is in the Low Tatra mountains under the Kráľova hoľa hill, southwest of Poprad...
.
Tourism
The park has excellent conditions for many sports activities. Some of the resorts include JasnáJasná
Jasná is a small village situated in central Slovakia, in the Low Tatras mountains. It is a part of the municipality Demänovská Dolina.Jasná ski resort has over twenty four lifts on both sides of the Chopok Mountain – including six chair lifts and a cable car...
, Tále
Tale
Tale may refer to:*Cautionary tale, a traditional story told in folklore, to warn its hearer of a danger*Fairy tale, a fictional story that usually features folkloric characters and enchantments*Folk tale, a story passed-down within a particular population, which comprises the traditions of that...
, Demänovská dolina
Demänovská Dolina
Demänovská Dolina is a village and municipality in Liptovský Mikuláš District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia. More precisely, it is situated in Demänovská valley, where Demänovská Cave of Liberty and Demänovská Ice Cave can be found.-Geography:...
, and Čertovica
Certovica
Čertovica is a mountain pass in the Low Tatras mountain range in Slovakia. It connects regions of Liptov and Horehronie. With AMSL, it is the highest paved mountain pass in Slovakia. It is open all year round, however it can be rarely closed during the winter because of the severe weather...
. The following caves are open to the public: Demänovská jaskyňa Slobody
Demänovská jaskyna Slobody
Demänovská Cave of Liberty is a karst cave in Low Tatras in Slovakia. Discovered in 1921 and opened to the public in 1924, it is the most visited cave in Slovakia.The public entrance is at an altitude of...
(Demänovská Cave of Freedom), Demänovská ľadová jaskyňa (Demänovská Ice Cave), Bystrá Cave, Važecká Cave
Važecká Cave
Važecká Cave is a stalactite cave near the village of Važec in northern Slovakia. It lies at an altitude of 748 metres, in the Liptov Basin near the Biely Váh River, on the northern edge of the Low Tatra mountain range. The cave was discovered in 1922...
and the Cave of Dead Bats.
Protected areas
Currently, the following protected areas are established in the area of the park or its buffer zone, covering 98.89 km²:- 10 national nature reserves
- 10 nature reserves
- 5 national nature monuments
- 6 nature monuments
- 1 protected site