Ústie Nad Priehradou at the Orava Reservoir

Ústie nad Priehradou combines its proximity to the Orava Reservoir with an unusually multifaceted local history. New Ústie was built on the shore of the reservoir, and the Lány area also includes the shore of the Orava Reservoir. At the same time, the village is a reminder of how profoundly the creation of the reservoir changed the former settlement pattern: When the Orava Reservoir was completed in 1953, five villages, including Ústie, were relocated and flooded.

By the water: cycling, swimming and a sightseeing cruise

Experienced cyclists can access a signposted long-distance route from Ústie. The blue-marked Oravsko-Liptovská Cycling Route is 62.5 kilometres long, starts in Námestovo and follows the Orava Reservoir to Ústie nad Priehradou. If you are travelling from Trstená, you can take a detour to Ústie, swim in the Orava Reservoir there and then continue directly to Tvrdošín. The route thus connects several specific places without making Ústie seem like merely a single viewpoint.

A sightseeing cruise on the Orava Reservoir offers a different perspective. It lasts 1.5 hours and includes a break on Slanica Island of Art. Refreshments, folk music or other attractions can also be provided by arrangement for selected groups, such as school, company and senior groups. On hot summer days, people use a rocky natural beach at the end of the road along the Ústie cemetery. These various options are clearly distinct: you can reach the reservoir by cycle path, take a trip on the water or simply spend time on the shore.

Sacred sites and the history of old Ústie

The local history can be seen in several religious buildings. The original church in Ústie was dedicated to Saint Elizabeth and was later demolished. The Chapel of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary was consecrated on 26 November 1993. Also in 1993, work began to convert the former school built in 1954 into spaces for religious services. This change of use is part of the historical development of the village and should not be understood as an indication of its current use.

The Chapel of Saint Anthony of Padua stands in the cemetery. The Kohútovci family built it between 1898 and 1904. After the Orava Reservoir went into operation in 1953, it was used until 1995 for religious services and liturgies for the inhabitants of Ústie. The cemetery chapel also served as a place of worship. The Column of Saint John of Nepomuk on the road to the cemetery is also a monument of art history commemorating the religious and cultural heritage of the village.

If you choose Ústie Nad Priehradou as your destination, a waterside landscape, cycling route and a culture of remembrance shaped by the reservoir come together here. The Orava Reservoir is not merely a backdrop, but the specific point of reference for the local history, the sightseeing cruise and several ways to shape your stay between the shore, the water and sacred traces.

For the broader travel overview: Trstená.