Horná Ves: Between Hiking Trails and Mining History

Horná Ves combines the landscape of the Kremnica Mountains with an unusually rich mining history. For your travel planning, this means that you can combine a route of the Kremnica Hiking Trail with traces of historical ore mining and prominent cultural monuments. The village lies at the confluence of the Lúčanský potok and Rudnica streams; at the same time, its location is described as having a healthy environment, as well as opportunities for walks and more challenging hikes.

Hiking in the Kremnica Mountains

The second section of the Kremnica Hiking Trail leads from Ihráč to Nevoľné and from there to Horná Ves along a yellow-marked route. In Horná Ves, the trail joins a blue-marked route back to Kremnica. The route therefore connects four named places: Ihráč, Nevoľné, Horná Ves, and Kremnica. The route to Kremnický štít is part of an educational trail.

Mining History Beneath and Around the Village

At the southern entrance to the village is the adit portal of the Hlboká adit, that is, its tunnel entrance. The adit was driven from 1519 to 1613 and is 7,050 metres long. Its functions included drainage, transport, and exploration. The Hlavná adit also runs beneath Horná Ves and is 15,821 metres long. It empties into the Hron River near Žiar nad Hronom. The village’s mining history is closely connected with the history of gold mining in Kremnica.

Another historical connection can be seen at the Primaverka hydroelectric power station. It was built in Horná Ves in 1896 with an output of 110 kW and served to power mining machinery in the fourth shaft in Kremnica. The processing of ochre extracted from the mine water of the Hlboká adit is also part of this history: During the First Czechoslovak Republic, it was processed by Farbová továreň bratov Strobentzových in Horná Ves and sold as a dye to the chemical industry.

Cultural Monument in the Centre

In the centre of Horná Ves stands a Baroque national cultural monument column with a sculpture of the Holy Trinity dating from 1710. The Baroque Trinity Column is a votive ensemble created after the plague epidemic of 1710. In 1776, it was transferred from Kremnica to Horná Ves; before that, it had stood in front of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kremnica. This gives a visit to the village a clear historical connection to Kremnica in addition to its mining history.

Further Orientation in the Village

Horná Ves also has a multi-purpose sports area for volleyball, basketball, and nohejbal. In winter, the area is turned into an ice rink for hockey players and skaters. For further orientation, you can also choose Lúčky (Lúčky), Kremnica (Kremnica), Kremnické Bane (Kremnické Bane), Dolná Ves (Dolná Ves), Vieska (Vieska), Ihráč (Ihráč), Jastrabá (Jastrabá) and Kunešov (Kunešov) .

For the broader travel overview: Žiar Nad Hronom.