Turany: Nature Trail, Churches and Museum

Turany combines a year-round accessible nature trail with distinctive churches, a diverse local museum and individual memorial sites in the town centre. If you would like to combine a trip with nature observation and cultural history, the town offers several clearly distinguishable points of interest for this purpose.

Turany–Černík Nature Trail at the Foot of Malá Fatra

The Turany–Černík nature trail is an easy, self-guided circular route for pedestrians. Its focus is both natural-historical and historical, so along the way you will encounter not only landscapes but also the history of the town as part of the experience. The trail lies at the foot of Malá Fatra National Park and is accessible year-round.

For orientation before setting off, two starting points are indicated: the nature trail begins in Turany at the railway station or in the square in front of the town hall. The first information boards are located there. This specific arrangement makes it easier for you to decide which starting point to choose for your visit, without the trail needing to be organised as a guided tour.

Churches with Medieval and More Recent Traces

The Roman Catholic Church of St Gall, in Slovak Kostol sv. Gála, is listed as a national cultural monument together with its bell tower, church cemetery and surrounding wall. The building was erected in 1300 or 1304 on the remains of a Gothic chapel dating from around 1157. The church also houses a rare Gothic altar of Saint Catherine, allegedly brought from Spišská Kapitula. The cautious wording of this tradition is part of this detail.

A second historical trace is represented by the present-day Evangelical church building. It was built in 1933 on the site of a Toleration Church erected in 1786 and consecrated on 6 May 1934. The two churches have different historical reference points: the Catholic church points to medieval origins and a Gothic altar, while the Evangelical church reflects the history of Evangelical church construction in the 18th and 20th centuries.

The Museum in the Cultural Centre

The museum is located in the Cultural Centre on Budovateľská Street in the south of Turany. It preserves documents relating to the history and present of the town and also presents a collection of the local fauna and flora. The permanent exhibitions cover Old Turany, nature, fish and fishing, Miloš Alexander Bazovský and Turany, as well as the history of skiing in the Turiec region.

In addition, the museum features a children's area, historic technology, clothing from the past and the history of sport. This allows you to view the history of the town from several perspectives: through documents, natural history topics, regional personalities, working and everyday life, as well as sporting development. Visits by organised groups can be arranged with the Turany Town Hall at +421 917 216 268 or by email at kultura@turany.sk.

Memorial Sites and Landscape Features

In the centre of Turany there is a monument with a bust of Miloš Alexander Bazovský. The square also contains a monument to the victims of the Second World War. Another landscape feature is that springs, wells and other types of wetlands emerge in places on the alluvial fan. Together with the nature trail, this creates a visit that combines cultural-historical orientation with tangible natural features.

Other places for travel orientation: Krpeľany, Sučany, Košťany Nad Turcom, Laskár, Bystrička, Lipovec and Martin.

For the higher-level travel overview: Martin District.