Stola between the Tatra Panorama and Village History

Štôla lies in the western part of the Poprad Basin on the southern slope of the High Tatras. The village combines mountain views and paths through the landscape with an unusually rich village history. If you are looking for a place for your Slovakia trip that offers hiking, winter experiences, and historical traces, you will find several different points of interest here.

Monastic History and Special Heritage

Štôla was established on the site of a former Benedictine monastery, which was built in 1314. The monastery burned down around 1436 during the Hussite Wars and the unrest surrounding the Hungarian throne and was not rebuilt. Several surviving landmarks in the village recall this past. Štôla is home to what is probably the monastery’s last surviving public relic: a wooden bell tower with a double cross and a bronze bell.

Another distinctive building is the Evangelical Neoclassical church from 1870. It houses an altarpiece by Peter Bohúň. For your visit, please note that the church is usually closed; visits must be arranged with the local priest from Mengusovce. The historic villagescape also includes a military cemetery with 296 war graves.

Smaller architectural and craft-related traces also give the village its distinctive character. Four traditional Hlemajzy are still preserved in Štôla; they serve as grain stores or storage rooms. A wooden house was built in 1929 and designed by the renowned Slovak architect Dušan Jurkovič. Preserved local crafts are presented at various cultural and social events, including woven carpets, scratched and painted Easter eggs, wooden sculptures, painted pictures, and blown-glass products.

Educational and Hiking Trail with Tatra Views

The Batizovce–Gerlachov–Mengusovce–Štôla educational and hiking trail serves educational and nature-conservation purposes. It is intended for the general public, explicitly including less experienced hikers, children, and older people. The trail consists of one large and three small information boards. Each board has seating with a table and benches, a bicycle rack, and a waste bin.

Several viewpoints along the trail open up views of the Tatra peaks. The route follows marked paths in the surroundings of artificial lakes. Its cycle paths are connected to the cycle-path network below the Tatras. This means the trail can be viewed not only as a walking and educational route but also in connection with a cycling tour. An additional craft stop is possible by appointment: visitors can arrange an appointment with Mr. Kocián at his glass workshop, where he presents his craft.

Hiking and Winter Activities in Different Forms

Several marked connections with Štôla are listed for hiking planning. A yellow-marked hiking connection between Vyšné Hágy and Štôla is given with the times 0:45/0:35. A green-marked connection runs between Tatranská Polianka and Štôla, with the times 1:15/1:00. A yellow-marked hiking connection from Batizovské pleso to Štôla is listed with 3:15/2:35. A yellow-red-marked hiking connection runs between Sliezsky dom and Štôla, with the times 4:15/3:35.

In winter, cross-country ski tracks are maintained in Štôla. They run through nature along the Poprad River and offer views of the High Tatras panorama. If weather conditions permit, Štôla organizes the sporting event Štôlska lyža in February or March. The landscape between the village, river, artificial lakes, and Tatra peaks therefore offers various ways to experience the surroundings without overlooking historical and cultural themes.

More Destinations

For further travel planning, you can also visit Batizovce, Spišské Bystré, Vysoké Tatry, Sunava, Hozelec, Vernár, Spišská Teplica and Gánovce .

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Poprad.