1st stage : Banská Bystrica-Staré Hory; 21,8 km / 6:15 hr

Banska Bystrica, town district Jakub

In Medený Hámor you will find the second station on the longest Way of the Cross in Slovakia. You may notice a memorial stone dedicated to the memory of the Austro-Hungarian Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria, Sissi. When she died in 1898 in Hungary, little-leaf linden trees (Tilia cordata) were planted in Medený Hámor as now confirmed by dendrological analysis and historical photos.
Jakub’s municipality is already mentioned in the 13th century. The oldest building is the Gothic Church of St. Jakub (48.834046°, 19.112532°). Its architecture, its bell from 1486 (one of the oldest in Slovakia), its Renaissance choir stalls with their painted architecture and inscriptions in German, all attest to the antiquity of the building. It is a symbolic church for pilgrims as St. Jakub is their patron.

Špania Dolina

Špania Dolina is a former mining settlement. Its name comes from the Latin word “Spanatus” meaning “Lord“ i.e., Lord’s Valley. There are many artifacts related to mining: piles of discarded ores, shafts, adits (dead-end galleries mostly user for draining water). Some of them are open to the public. On the steeper slopes, the small houses of former miners are still preserved. The administrative and technical buildings and, in particular, the mining administration building, stand on the city square. Špania Dolina was most famous in the 15th century when the Thurzo-Fugger Copper Company exported copper ore extracted here throughout Europe. That company introduced the world’s first eight-hour work day, retirement benefits for miners and widows, and medical care. The Mining Fraternity of Corpus Christi (which still exists today as the Herrengrund Miners Fraternity) managed finances.
A unique hydraulic system for mining brought water to turn water wheels, thus gradually replacing harness horses that had been used previously to drive the mining machinery. According to historical sources, the water network in the 18th century was around 35 km long and consisted of 30 km of wooden troughs and 5 km of ditches. Started in the 16th century, that hydraulic system is the oldest and the longest mining water system in Slovakia. It brought water that powered machines, ore crushers, and other mining equipment. It was operational until the early 20th century.
Directly above the village is a pile of tailings with a volume of 400 to 450 cubic meters, close by are shafts and adits that were used to secure ore shipments, miners and often to provide ventilation and mine dewatering. The mine “knocking” tower (“klopačka“) has been preserved and renovated in 1998. It is called „klopačka“ i.e., knocker“ or “clapper” because, like other mines around Slovakia, its tower contained a percussive wood instrument that produced a sequence of sharp knocks loud enough to summon the miners to work. Today, that building serves as a restaurant and guesthouse for visitors who can also visit a small museum upstairs. The original “knocker” served as a residence for the mining inspector, had rooms for the mining controllers and space for preparing mining maps. The actual “klopačka” which convened miners to the shaft was located in the small tower. Above the village center, on a natural rise, a chapel had already been built in the 13th century. It later became the Roman Catholic Church of the Lord’s Transfiguration. In 1593, it was rebuilt and extended in Gothic style. It was then modified several times and later renovated. A parish building was also added. From the square, you can head straight for the church by climbing up 160 wooden stairs. The main altar consists of a woodcarving from 1720-1730. The Maják Diocesan Youth Center is located on the church grounds.
The Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre in Špania Dolina is one of the eight copies of the Holy Sepulchre which has been preserved (the original is in Jerusalem). That chapel is the eighth and last station on the longest Way of the Cross. It was the first official place of worship for the village Christians and is reputed to be the oldest church building in Špania Dolina.
The Museum of copper in Špania Dolina is administered by the Herrengrund Miners Fraternity-Špania Dolina. In the museum, you will see a complete collection of minerals found in ore deposits, a section on the history of mining and ore processing, and ways in which copper was exported from the early Bronze Age until 1888. You will learn about the copper cementation process which also yielded the green color used in frescoes and paintings. Computer animation of a working water draining machine in the Ludovika shaft and a chance to meet a full replica of a “herrengrunder” from 1739 complement the museum exhibition. The program lasts from one to two hours depending upon what visitors find most suitable.
Špania Dolina includes the former Piesky settlement (originally called Sandberg). It is connected with Špania Dolina by the mining tunnel called “Prekop”.

Staré Hory is a picturesque village in the Starohorská dolina valley between the Veľká Fatra Mountains and Nízke Tatry Mountains (the Low Tatra). Administratively, the villages Horný Jelenec, Dolný Jelenec, Valentová, Rybô, and Polkanová belong to Staré Hory. Staré Hory is the preferred starting location for hiking as it is at the intersection of several hiking trails. The village existed as a mining settlement in the 13th century where silver and copper ores were mined and processed. The development of Staré Hory reached its peak at the turn of the 16th century when a vast complex of smelters was built (with the support of the Thurzo-Fugger copper company). Consequently, logging and coal mining developed as well. From what was initially a small mining settlement, Staré Hory has become the internationally recognized Holy Mary pilgrimage place that welcomes thousands of pilgrims every year, not only from Slovakia but also from abroad. Pilgrims have come here to worship the Mother of God for over 500 years. A pilgrimage called Fatima takes place on the first Saturday of every month, but the most famous pilgrimage is on August 15th, on the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary was promoted to a minor basilica in 1990. Nearby is a spring called “Studnička”. A legend claims that its water cured a local priest of a serious illness. Out of gratitude he built a dignified stand and, over time, votive inscriptions and commemorative plaques began to appear. You may want to visit this shrine which offers spiritual encouragement to believers and non-believers alike.