Vranov nad Topľou District

Vranov nad Topľou District combines the gentle contours of the Vranovská pahorkatina uplands with the floodplains of the Ondava and Topľa rivers. At the same time, Veľká Domaša, significant religious buildings, open-air archaeological attractions and marked trails shape the character of the district. For your travel decision, this creates a clear combination of a waterworks, cultural history and landscape experiences.

Veľká Domaša and trails through the landscape

Veľká Domaša is a multipurpose waterworks in the district and is considered the most important recreation centre in Vranov nad Topľou District. It therefore represents a different way of experiencing the region than its mountains and historic sites. The Zámutovská kolejka forestry educational trail offers an accessible section: a 2.6-kilometre asphalt section can be covered by bicycle, on inline skates, in a wheelchair or with a pram.

Several documented routes lead to notable destinations in the mountain landscapes. At 1,092 metres, Šimonka is the highest point of the Slanské vrchy and offers panoramic views. The summit can be reached from Zámutov, Hermanovce nad Topľou, Hlinné or Rudlov in Vranov nad Topľou District. The Oblík National Nature Reserve forms part of the mountain of the same name, which rises to 925 metres in the cadastral area of Hermanovce nad Topľou. A nature trail with four stations leads to it from Hermanovce nad Topľou or Petrovce via yellow and blue hiking trail markings.

Churches, cemetery and historic sites

Vranov nad Topľou is home to the Basilica of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, a late Gothic Roman Catholic church built in 1580. The former Pauline monastery attached to the basilica has a Baroque portal and a valuable fresco inside. A guided tour of the basilica can be requested from the Sever Roman Catholic parish office. The Jewish cemetery in Vranov was also established in the 18th century; in 1963, it was entered in the state register of cultural monuments.

The Barkóczy family crypt is located below Čičva Castle. It was built in 1909 in the Neo-Romanesque style and is open to tourists. Another historic landscape feature is Grófsky park Tovarné. What remains is a remnant of the park that once belonged to Count Hadik-Barkóci’s castle and was laid out in the style of an English landscape park with paths and hunting trails. Nearby are a rest area with a pavilion and seating, as well as a replica of the count’s gate.

Archaeology and regional traditions

The Hanušovce nad Topľou Archaeopark is a living open-air archaeological museum. Five dwellings represent five periods from prehistory to the Early Middle Ages. A visit is not limited to viewing the buildings: among other activities, you can work with a stone axe, weigh bronze or iron swords and grind grain on a rotary quern. The permanent exhibitions inside Hanušovce nad Topľou Castle are inaccessible due to renovation work. The archaeological exhibition in the castle cellar and the Archaeopark are open to visitors.

The Zámutov House of Folk Traditions displays old furniture, textiles, pictures and equipment from traditional farming households. It can be visited at any time by prior telephone appointment; the operators provide explanations of the exhibits. Culinary traditions are also part of the region’s character: the Hornozemplínske Folklore Festival includes regional dishes and local gastronomic specialities.

Practical guidance before your visit

The Hanušovský Viaduct is a particularly striking photographic subject. It forms part of an operating railway line and tourists are not permitted to cross it on foot. You can safely view and photograph it from below and from the surrounding roads and paths. Experiences in the district therefore differ considerably: some destinations convey history through exhibitions and guided tours, while others do so through marked educational trails, viewpoints or clearly defined visiting options.

For further orientation in the area: Nova Kelca, Holcíkovce, Bystré, Vranov nad Topľou, Slovenská Kajňa and Kvakovce.

For the broader travel overview: Prešov.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Humenné District, Stropkov District.