Kľak between the Vtáčnik Landscape and Memorial Culture

Kľak connects the high plateaus of the Vtáčnik Mountains with protected nature, hiking trails and a local history that recalls the events of 1945. The village is therefore both a starting point for trails through the landscape and a place where the church, monuments and memorial room make the past visible. For your trip to Slovakia, this creates a clear combination of natural experiences, regional history and several routes with different itineraries.

Landscape between Two Valleys

Kľak lies in the Vtáčnik Mountains on a high plateau between the valleys of the Kľak Stream and the Kláštorský Stream. The Vtáčnik State Nature Reserve has existed in Kľak since 1966.

The protected natural monument of Ostrovica is also located in the vicinity of Kľak. It consists of three distinctive rock towers that rise above their surroundings with vertical walls approximately 30 to 40 m high. The approximate elevation figure refers to the description of these rock walls; it should not be equated with a summit elevation or trail distance. Together with the nature reserve, this creates a landscape in which the high plateau, stream valleys and distinctive rock formations provide different points of orientation.

Hiking: Educational Trail and Routes towards Vtáčnik

The Kľakovský educational trail is 6.3 km long, with a stated walking time of 1.5 hours. The educational trail opened in 2015 and presents the history of the Slovak National Uprising in the area around Kľak, the events of Bloody Sunday on 21 January 1945, the history of the forest railway and the formation of the Ostrovica rock formation. If you would like to explore Kľak on foot, the trail begins in the village centre, can be walked in both directions, is accessible year-round and is described as easy to complete.

In addition, several longer routes are documented, with clearly differing destinations and itineraries. One route leads from Kľak through the Partizánska dolina valley, via Ivanov salaš and Škurátka, to Vtáčnik. A second connects Kľak via Ivanov salaš and Škurátka with the waterfall on the Pokutský potok stream. A third leads from Kľak via Škurátka, Vtáčnik, Homôlka and Gronštolne to Prochot. For your route selection, you can therefore choose between an educational trail featuring local and regional history, a connection to the waterfall and a route extending to Prochot.

Church and Memorial Sites in Kľak

The Roman Catholic church in Kľak is a single-nave late Baroque building dating from 1753. It is dedicated to Saint Teresa of Ávila. The church thus represents the older architectural and religious history of the village, while several memorial sites commemorate the violent events of the 20th century.

Kľak is home to a monument created by J. Hučko in 1959 in memory of citizens and partisans tortured by fascists. A monument also stands above the mass grave of those murdered. At the SNP monument, erected in 1963, the inhabitants of Kľak commemorate the tragic events each year by laying a wreath. The memorial room in Kľak contains materials recalling the burning of the village in 1945. These sites focus on different aspects: architectural history, remembrance of the victims and the documented history of the destruction of the village.

Accommodation in Kľak

The accommodation in Kľak comprises five rooms and 14 beds. It includes sanitary facilities, a kitchen and a seating area with a television.

Further Village Pages

Further village pages: Hrabičov, Veľke Pole, Žarnovica, Brehy, Hronský Beňadik, Voznica, Horné Hámre, Tekovská Breznica.

To the main travel overview: Scharnowitz.