The Castle of Strečno

On the left bank of the Váh river, close to Žilina, you find the Strečno Castle on top of the limestone rock. In the past it was the safest fort in the Považie region.
Hrad sa vyníma na lesnom pozadí v Domašínskom meandri Váhu povyše hradu Strečno. Na Považí patril tento hrad medzi najstaršie. Pôvodne sa nazýval hrad Varín. Svoj dnešný názov "Starý hrad" získal po výstavbe a sprevádzkovaní hradu Strečno.
Hrad pôvodne slúžil na ochranu starej cesty vedúcej Považím. Túto funkciu však neskôr prevzal hrad Strečno. Počas vlády Matúša Čáka Trenčianskeho bol Starý hrad sídlom provincie.
Prvá písomná zmienka sa objavuje za Bela IV. v roku 1241 ako kráľovský majetok. V 15. storočí začali na hrade hospodáriť Pongrácovci. Tí jadro hradu s vežou rozšírili o neskorogotické paláce. Neskôr na prístupovej ceste vybudovali nižšie položené predhradie s polkruhovou baštou, neskôr zväčšené a doplnené o hospodárske budovy.
V priebehu 17. storočia Pongrácovci, hoci už mali dva kaštiele v okolí, Starý hrad si naďalej ponechali a starali sa o jeho údržbu, rozšírenie a vybavenie. Hrad im svojou neprístupnosťou poskytoval bezpečné útočište. Do začiatku 18. storočia na hrade slúžila stála vojenská posádka. Po jej odchode začal hrad pustnúť a chátrať.
The only access road to the Vrátna valley, the most attractive part of the Malá Fatra Mts. is from the village Terchová. The Vrátna valley has four points of access: Tiesňavy, Stará dolina, Nová dolina and Starý dvor.
The National Park of Malá Fatra is situated in the westernmost Slovak high mountains Malá Fatra. Gorges, rock peaks and an attractive ridge tour are among its attractions.
The village Štefanová with numerous buildings built in traditional style is situated in the north-west of Slovakia at the foothill of the mountain Veľký Rozsutec (1,610 m).
The Súľovské skaly rocks forming an attractive rock town are situated in the north-west of Slovakia, only several kilometres from Žilina. Interesting landforms in form of rock towers, needles, windows and gates separated by deep waterless gorges, ravines and valleys are the results of action of rain, ice, and wind, in other words – chemical and mechanical weathering.
Situation of the village Blatnica next to the Gaderská dolina and Blatnická dolina valleys makes of it an ideal salient point for the trips to the spectacular valleys of the Veľká Fatra Mts.
The National Park of Veľká Fatra, lying in central Slovakia is typical for its continuous forest, long valleys and the largest locality of original yew tree occurrence in Europe.
You can bathe in the Laura thermal spa in two swimming pools, from which one is for the children. The water temperature is 20 - 26oC. The area also offers mini-golf, beach volley, restaurants and snack bars with fast food. A parking lot is nearby.
The Aphrodite Spa Rajecké Teplice is situated amid the scenic natural surroundings of the Malá Fatra and Strážovské Hills. The Spa offers healing thermal water with a temperature of 38°C, whose beneficial effects have been known since the fourteenth century. It contains calcium and magnesium ions and is especially good for the locomotor system, neurological diseases, occupational diseases, and drinking cures.
The facility includes eight pools that suit the needs of all kinds of visitors, with the swimming pool being the largest of them, as it is 50 metres long, 21 metres wide and 1.8 metres deep. The centre also features a car park, a wide selection of snacks, sports (beach volleyball, mini golf, table tennis and basketball) and amenities for children (a water slide, a number of slides, jungle gyms and a sand pit).
AquaRelax is a modern aqua park in Dolný Kubín, outstanding for its unique pyramid architecture. It uses only crystal-clear water in stainless steel pools.
On the left bank of the Váh river, close to Žilina, you find the Strečno Castle on top of the limestone rock. In the past it was the safest fort in the Považie region.
Fierce fights for the strategic gap of the Váh and the mountain range Malá Fatra near Strečno in the north-west of Slovakia took place between the German army and the partisans of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP). A memorial was built on the hill Zvonica to commemorate the dead heroes.
The gothic wooden Roman Catholic church of St George is the oldest architectural monument in village Trnové. It stands on the local cemetery.
The synagogue of the Orthodox Jewish community was built in 1927 according to plans of an unknown author.
The Považie Gallery of Art was founded in 1976, followings its separation from the Považie Museum. In the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, its regularly-held exhibitions focused mainly on contemporary Slovak drawing. The gallery is managed by the Žilina Self-governing Region.
Mestské divadlo Žilina sídli v budove, ktorá bola postavená ako Reprezentačný dom Žiliny v rokoch 1942-1944 podľa projektov moravsko-nemeckého architekta Ota Reichnera. Stavba nesie znaky talianskeho neoklasicizmu a pôvodne sa v nej nachádzali kultúrne priestory, cirkevná škola a honosná radná sieň.
Je najvýznamnejším a najstarším objektom v meste. S veľkou pravdepodobnosťou v blízkosti a na mieste dnešného kostola stál od 13. storočia hrad, o čom máme písomné správy od roku 1318 do roku 1454.
Bábkové divadlo Žilina je najstaršie profesionálne bábkové divadlo na Slovensku. V roku 2015 oslávuje 65 rokov existencie.
The exposition presents authentic environment and visual works of art of prominent, versatile artist, but mainly painter nad illustrator - national artist Martin Benka. In line with Benka's last will, the interior of the museum (Benka's workroom, studio and bedroom) is preserved in its authentic form.














