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One of the most majestic castles of  Slovakia Cerveny Kamen (Red Stone Castle)  is surrounded by the picturesque hills of Little Carpathians.The history of the castleAccording to the written sources, the castle was built in the XII century. According to some sources, the castle was built by the Chech queen Constance of Hungary before 1240 and was known as Cerveny Kamen. However, the latest researches show that the castle was built after 1241 after the Mongolian invasion, when Bela IV started to create a defensive line. The history of this castle is connected with two important noble families – Fuggers (Fugger) and Palffy (Pálfi). Fuggers were among the richest families in Europe, they traded with various countries. The head of the family was attracted by the strategic location of the castle as it was not far from Vienna and Bratislava. The new owner decides to destroy the old construction and build a castle with numerous spacious cellars to store goods. Those cellars had six levels and they are among the largest in Central Europe. The longest one reaches 72 meters.The reconstruction of the castle, aimed at changing the medieval style of the fortress …

In eastern Slovakia, where majestic mountain peaks meet deep gorges, vast plateaus and mysterious caves, the Slovenský raj (Slovak Paradise) national park is a natural extension of the Nízke Tatry slopes. Corners of untouched nature, winding paths, roaring waterfalls, overhanging cliffs and dizzying views make one of the most beautiful protected areas in Eastern Europe a true tourist Eldorado.Slovensky raj (Slovak Paradise) is rich in picturesque landscapes area in the Spis (Spiš) region, which is situated in the Northern part of the Slovak Ore Mountains (Slovenské rudohorie). The highest point (1,545 m above the sea level), Predná hoľa, then (1,272 m above the sea level) Ondrejisko hill, the lowest (489 m above the sea level) - Smižany - Maša valley. The area of this region is 19 763 hectares. 13 011 hectares are under the protection of the Natura 2000 organization. Almost 90% of the territory is covered with forests including beeches, frs, and relic pines. Various flora representatives including thermophilic and frost tolerant plants can be seen here due to the special microclimate. There are 35 types of protected plants including six endemic species. The fauna of the region is also rich and includes 2200 different …

Košice is the second largest city in Slovakia. It is located in the eastern part of the country and occupies the Hornádska dolina, close to the foot of Čierna hora (Black Mountain). The city's modern architectural heritage ranges from old buildings to modern urbanism. The historic part of Košice is renowned for its compact old centre, which can be wandered on foot in a matter of hours.A little historyIn the 13th century a settlement mentioned in historical documents as Villa Kassa was located on the banks of the Hornád River, at a crossroads of major trade routes. Hungarians called it Kassa, Germans Kaschau, and Slovaks Košice. In 1307 the municipality acquired municipal rights, and 62 years later, on May 7, 1369 the King of Hungary, Louis I of Hungary, bestowed upon the town the official coat of arms. Kosice was the first town in Europe which received the right to have its own coat of arms. Until then, no other city in Europe had such a symbol.In XVII century Košice became the main town and the strongest bastion of Upper Hungary. It retained this status until the fall of the …

Slovakia has preserved unchanged villages that have become ethnographic museums. One such village is Vlkolinets (Vlkolínec). It was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1993. Vlkolínec is an example of wooden architecture, typical of the architecture of settlements in the northern part of the Carpathians.History of the village of Vlkolinets (Vlkolínec) Vlkolínec was first mentioned in 1376. The locals built houses by using the woods in the mountains. Nearby, clay could be found to fill in cracks and level walls. Log huts were covered with wooden tiles. In addition to carpentry work, the Slovaks were also engaged in cattle breeding, hunting and various crafts.In the 14th century there were few houses and they were mentioned as part of the Ružomberok municipality. Documents from the beginning of the 17th century mention nine huts. The main part of the village complex was built in the 19th century.Time has not touched Vlkolinets (Vlkolínec) , so the original building type is of interest to modern man as a museum masterpiece.Location of Vlkolinec villageThe individual character of the village has been preserved thanks to the remoteness of Vlkolínc from major roads. The village is …