Discover Hostišovce

Hostišovce combines a hilly, partly wooded landscape with a remarkable historic village character. The area lies between the valleys of the Western Turiec and the Blh; to the east, it extends into the relict landscape of a plateau and consists of andesites. When planning a trip, the key attractions here are the combination of natural surroundings, cycling routes, and a village culture that has evolved over centuries.

Landscape and Trails Around Hostišovce

The cadastral area of Hostišovce is part of the Drienčanský Karst protected area (SKUEV2366). This protected area covers 1,281.92 hectares and is subject to protection level 2. The Drienčanský Karst stretches between Drienčany, Hrušovo, Striežovce, Španie Pole, Hostišovce, and Budikovany. Hostišovce is therefore located in a landscape whose character is shaped not only by individual sights but also by its geological and natural extent.

One specific way to experience this area is the Drienčanský Karst educational trail. It is 7,540 meters long and leads through easy terrain. In the vicinity of Hostišovce, there are also more than ten interconnected cycling routes with a total length of 98 kilometers. The information panels at the pavilion provide details about Hostišovce and regional cultural monuments.

Finding Your Way Around the Village

Next to the Hostišovce municipal office stands a new wooden pavilion with seating.

History and Rural Building Culture

Hostišovce was first mentioned in 1333 under the name Gesztus. In 1528, the village was destroyed by the Turks. The historic village character includes masonry houses from the 19th century. A characteristic feature is a covered gallery projecting along the house and supported by a row of columns. The house at Hostišovce 001-02 has such a Gánok covered gallery beneath the roof overhang.

Further specific examples of rural architecture include the folk house at Hostišovce 44, a stone-and-brick building from 1771, and the stone folk house at “Roľnícky dvor Hostišovce 38.” This is a single-story building from 1875 with a cellar and a three-part, rectangular floor plan. The buildings reveal different construction phases and forms of historic housing in the village.

Crafts, Everyday Life, and Ecclesiastical Art

The surviving crafts also tell the story of Hostišovce. There was a local tradition of wax processing, in which wax was pressed from honeycombs. Household woodworking focused particularly on spindles and plows; these were also sold by peddlers in more distant areas. As late as the middle of the 20th century, the inhabitants wove canvas and patterned fabrics. The historic fruit-growing tradition also included distilling plum and cherry brandy from surplus fruit.

The Evangelical church holds a special place. It was built in 1793 as a tolerance church without a tower. Its furnishings include a richly ornamented wooden Protestant gallery on three sides of the nave, featuring late Baroque ornamentation from the mid-18th century. The organ has Rococo ornamentation dating from 1760 to 1780. The late Baroque altar from the second half of the 18th century features a central painting and side sculptures of the Apostles Peter and Paul within a columned architectural setting.

The ecclesiastical ensemble also includes the Evangelical bell tower of Hostišovce. The masonry building from the beginning of the 19th century is designed as a Neoclassical tower and is characteristic of the Gemer region. According to the municipal history, interior furnishings acquired from an entrepreneur from Hnúšťa are still in operation today.

More Places for Your Trip to Slovakia

For further orientation, you can also include Žíp, Hrachovo, Kraskovo, Zádor, Hubovo, Chrámec, Chanava, and Radnovce in your plans.

For the higher-level travel overview: Rimavská Sobota District.