Benice: Between the Váh, Liptovská Mara and Local History

Benice combines a distinctive location by the water with an unusually accessible local history. The district of Liptovský Mikuláš lies at the confluence of the Váh and the Liptovská Mara Reservoir. In addition, there is an MTB route running through Benice, cycling opportunities at the reservoir and historical evidence ranging from the noble owners to the present-day design of the flag and coat of arms.

Location on the Váh and cycling at Liptovská Mara

Its location at the confluence of the Váh and the Liptovská Mara Reservoir gives Benice a clear landscape connection to the water. MTB Route No. 17 “Okolo Liptovskej Mary” is particularly interesting for exploring the surrounding area. It leads from Liptovský Mikuláš through Benice, then continues through other places and returns to Liptovský Mikuláš along the shore of the Liptovská Mara Reservoir. Benice is neither the starting nor the finishing point of the route.

Another cycling route along the Liptovská Mara Reservoir is described for trekking bikes and mountain bikes. This places two different points at the center of trip planning: a specifically named MTB loop that passes through Benice and a cycling route oriented along the shore, whose described bicycle types range from trekking bikes to mountain bikes.

Seals, noble history and the coat of arms of Benice

The Benickovci were the noble owners of Benice. Their connection with the place is also reflected in the coat of arms design, which is based on a variant of this noble family’s coat of arms. The design shows a silver, outspread dove on a red shield. It stands on a golden crown and holds a green palm branch in its beak.

The surviving seals also make the local history tangible. Of the seal impressions created in the second half of the 19th century, the text “OBEC BENICE” has survived, but not the seal image. The original seal die of Benice is held in the collections of the Liptov Museum in Ružomberok. An oval seal was created in 1885 and bears the three-line Hungarian inscription “LIPTÓ MEGYE BENICZ KŐZSÉG PECSÉTJE 1885”. The different written and pictorial records show how the administrative history of the place can be traced through preserved symbols.

The present-day representation of Benice also includes a flag with six vertical stripes in the order red, white, red, green, white and yellow. Its aspect ratio is 2:3. The end is three-pointed and has two cuts extending to one third of the flag’s length.

Natural and cultural features near Liptovský Mikuláš

Near Liptovský Mikuláš, the nature and landscape educational trail in Lesopark Háj-Nicovô provides information about the local natural environment and fossils from a time when Liptov was covered by a sea up to 45 million years ago. The educational trail complements Benice’s connection to water and local history with a look at the geological past of the landscape.

The cultural center in Benice currently lists around 10 to 15 people for gymnastics, strength training, table tennis, organizing tournaments and other sporting activities.

Other places for orientation

For further orientation, you can also find Gotovany (Gotovany), Malatíny (Malatíny), Vlachy (Vlachy), Prosiek (Prosiek), Ižipovce (Ižipovce), Kvacany Pri Liptovskom Mikulási (Kvacany Pri Liptovskom Mikulási), Maluzina (Maluzina) and Kralova Lehota (Kralova Lehota).

For the higher-level travel overview: Liptovský Mikuláš District.