Jesenské: Views, Hiking Trails and Historic Churches

Jesenské amid a lookout tower, hiking trails and culture

If you are looking for accommodation in Jesenské, you can classify the town by its clear focal points: views and trails, protected landscapes, as well as churches and historical landmarks. A prominent starting point for exploration is the 13-metre-high “Jeden strom” lookout tower above Jesenské. It was completed in June 2025 and is fully open to the public. The view from its platform extends in all directions; in clear weather, you can also see the High Tatras.

The tower is integrated into the hiking trail network of the Cerová vrchovina. An easy turn-off from the main trail leads to “Jeden strom”, while the official route runs over Širkovský hradný kopec. For a shorter tour, the 3.75-kilometre route from the centre of Jesenské to the lookout tower is an interesting option. It leads through a valley and an area inhabited by European sousliks. Another option is the blue hiking trail 2644: it begins at Jesenské railway station, leads via Širkovce, Širkovský hrad, Gemerské Dechtáre, Senná and Ragáč, and is 18 kilometres long.

Natural Area with Special Protected Areas

Jesenské lies within a landscape context that extends beyond the individual lookout point. One third of the town is located in the NATURA 2000 bird protection area “Vtáčie chránené územie”. The southwestern part of the cadastral area borders the Cerová vrchovina Protected Landscape Area. In the Cifra Site of European Importance, the protection of the European souslik is the central focus. Entry by vehicle is prohibited there, while movement on foot is unrestricted. This regulation clearly distinguishes visiting this natural area from unrestricted access by car.

Churches, Monuments and Local History

Jesenské also offers several distinct points of interest for travellers interested in culture. The Roman Catholic Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary is an originally Baroque building dating from 1737 and was damaged by fire in 1825. The Reformed Church was built in 1898 in the Neoclassical style on the site of an earlier medieval church. The town is also home to the Neoclassical Kúria “Jesenské - klasicistická kúria”. A kúria in Jesenské is listed under number ÚZPF 970/1 in the Slovak heritage register.

The cemetery contains wooden post grave monuments with finials bearing symbols of local production from around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. This historical impression is complemented by a monument to the victims of the First and Second World Wars. For orientation in the town, bilingual information and orientation boards in Slovak and Hungarian are provided at nine locations. The information centre sells tourist maps of Jesenské, the Rimavská Sobota District and the surrounding area, as well as a hiking map of the municipality’s cadastral area.

If you choose Jesenské as your destination, short routes to the lookout tower, longer hiking connections, protected natural areas and a concentrated historical heritage come together here. Other destinations you can select for your trip are Studená, Kociha, Gemerské Dechtáre, Drňa, Rimavské Janovce, Drienčany, Hajnáčka and Hodejov.

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