Hlohovec: City History on the Váh

If you are looking for accommodation in Hlohovec, you can get your bearings around two themes: the history of its buildings and the landscape along the Váh. Slovakia’s longest river flows through Hlohovec. The city lies in the western part of the Nitrianska pahorkatina, at the foot of the southern spur of the Považský Inovec and in the Váh floodplain. Its location between the historic cities of Trnava and Nitra is also useful for orientation. This gives you different options for planning your visit, with culture, riverside routes and a viewpoint as distinct focal points.

Freistadt was a historic German name for Nový Hlohovec, one of the two historic settlements in the area of present-day Hlohovec. The destination is called Hlohovec; it should not be confused with the Austrian city of Freistadt.

Riverside routes and a route to the viewpoint

An almost eight-kilometre-long cycle path along the left bank of the Váh connects the two ends of Hlohovec. Its length, the bank it follows and its route give you a clear reference point for a bike ride through the city. At the Váh embankment, turn-offs lead directly to the Hlohovec swimming pool and Zámocký park. You can include these destinations in your day’s plans as points of interest along the river.

The Šianec viewpoint offers a different perspective. You can reach it on foot from Hlohovec, starting at the Empírové divadlo and going via Šomodská Street, past the Urbánok viewpoint pavilion. This gives you two distinct options: the almost eight-kilometre cycle route along the left riverbank, and the described walking route to Šianec, with named waypoints. You can choose the focus of your exploration without combining the two routes into a single tour.

Theatre, churches and city history

The Empírové divadlo, built in 1802, stands within the grounds of Hlohovec Castle and is described as the oldest surviving theatre building in Slovakia. In the centre, the originally Gothic Church of St. Michael, dating from the 15th century, stands on St. Michael’s Square. The 18th-century Chapel of St. Anne is also on this square. Their different dates of origin make the square a useful reference point if you want to compare buildings from different centuries.

The Church of the Holy Spirit and the adjoining 14th-century hospital are near the square. The church has an unusual floor plan without a clearly defined apse. Farther north in the city centre is a Franciscan monastery with the 15th-century Church of All Saints. Today, the monastery houses the Vlastivedné múzeum. Their age, location and floor plans offer different points of reference for understanding the city’s historic buildings.

The Vlastivedné múzeum presents the history of Hlohovec from its earliest written mention through the bourgeois revolution of 1848–49, as well as the history of Hlohovec Castle. The subject matter therefore spans the city’s early history and a clearly identified turning point in the 19th century.

Planetarium, nature and an annual event

The planetarium has 55 seats. It can project an artificial starry sky, the Sun, the Moon, planets, stars visible to the naked eye and the Milky Way onto its dome. If you would like to include the planetarium in your plans, check its current operating schedule before your visit.

Sedliská, within the cadastral area of Hlohovec, also has a history of protection: in 1974, it was designated the Soroš – Poniklecová lúčka protected site; in 1988, it was declared a state nature reserve. The Michalský jarmok is Hlohovec’s most important annual event. If your travel dates depend on it, check the dates for the year you plan to visit, as event details may vary.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Sasinkovo, Dvorníky, Koplotovce, Jalšové, Leopoldov, Madunice, Šulekovo, Tekolďany.

Return to the main travel overview: Okres Hlohovec.