Veľké Uherce between Reservoir, Nature and History

Veľké Uherce combines a reservoir, extensive protected landscapes, marked trails and notable traces of the village’s history. If you would like to combine nature experiences with culture and various forms of activity on your trip to Slovakia, you will find several clearly distinct points of interest here.

Reservoir and protected landscape

The Veľké Uherce Reservoir is an important spawning area for the common toad (Bufo bufo). At the same time, the Ponitrie Protected Landscape Area covers two thirds of the cadastral area of Veľké Uherce. Swimming was possible in the reservoir; however, this information does not describe current swimming availability. The Dobrolínske skaly Nature Reserve is also important for understanding the landscape. Protected plant species as well as forest, forest-steppe, steppe and rock-steppe biotopes occur there.

This protected area also includes the 27-metre-long Dobrolínska Cave. Oselná skala offers an almost panoramic view over a large part of the Horná Nitra region.

Hiking and cycling with clearly specified routes

Several marked routes are documented for hiking. The green-marked Ponitrím educational trail begins at the municipal office of Veľké Uherce and is 17 kilometres long. Hiking route 5412 connects the Veľké Uherce Reservoir with the municipal office and measures 16.5 kilometres. In addition, the green-marked “Veľkouherský okruh” hiking trail covers 18 kilometres.

There is also a specifically described cycling option: The yellow-marked MTB route 8336 is 25.6 kilometres long and classified as a moderately difficult sports route. It leads to the Veľké Uherce Reservoir, where it crosses the green route 5412. MX Vinohrad, a motocross track in Veľké Uherce, offers a different type of activity. The track was completely rebuilt in 2018 and meets the criteria of the FIM regulations.

Church, manor house and traces of the past

The Kostol sv. Michala archanjela church was originally built in 1332 in the Gothic style on older foundations. In 1669, it was remodelled in the Renaissance style and expanded with a side chapel. Another distinctive building is the Kaštieľ Veľké Uherce manor house: it was originally built in the 17th century in the Renaissance style, remodelled in the Baroque style in the 18th century, and completely rebuilt between 1845 and 1860 in the Romantic Neo-Gothic style.

In the local cemetery of Veľké Uherce, next to the local Roman Catholic church, stands the protected Veľkouherská lime tree. It is more than 200 years old, has a trunk circumference of 450 centimetres, is 20 metres tall and has a crown width of 14 metres. Hradisko was a prehistoric hilltop settlement in the cadastral areas of Veľké Uherce and Malé Uherce.

Brezová is also among the historical traces in the vicinity of Veľké Uherce. The now-abandoned German settlement consisted of 40 family houses, of which overgrown ruins remain. A wooden cross and century-old fruit trees mark the site of the former settlement. Its historical status is essential: Brezová is not a present-day place with an ongoing settlement, but rather a site where its former use remains recognisable through a few visible features.

Partizánske, Hradište, Kolačno, Žabokreky Nad Nitrou, Veľké Kršteňany, Turčianky, Skačany and Veľký Klíž.

To the higher-level travel overview: Partizánske.