Betliar

The village located at the foot of the Volovské hills is popular among tourists mainly due to the luxurious residence of the Andrássy family.

The manor house in Betliar is the only one in Slovakia that has been preserved after 1945 with its original equipment and collections. Its interior, full of historic furniture, rare paintings, books, weapons and exotic trophies, will transport you into the lives of the most important aristocrats of the 19th century in Europe.

It was built as a hunting lodge and served primarily for the representational purposes of this family. Today it is one of the most visited places in Gemer.

In Betliar you will also relax while walking through a large English park, where you will find many interesting nooks and crannies: the Masonic and Chinese pavilion, the Japanese bridge, Hermes' well, a pond with water lilies, or a large artificial waterfall - the largest of its kind in Slovakia. The park has been included in the list of artistically and culturally valuable parks in the world, which is registered by UNESCO.

Behind the park there is a zoo with an area of almost 1700 ha intended for deer breeding. It is the only one in Slovakia where deer, daniel, mouflon, wild boar, roe deer, but also bear, wolf and wild cat live side by side.

Historically interesting is the local part of Nižná Maša, where there used to be a blast furnace and an ironworks. Today, the site is declared a national cultural monument and testifies to the industrial past of the village. Unfortunately, the only preserved are the apartment buildings of the employees of the ironworks.

In addition to the manor, the village also excels in its hospitality. You will find here pleasant restaurants and pensions: Baronka, Penzión pri kaštieli, or Penzión TKM Betliar with sports facilities and pizzeria.

You can also stay in the arms of nature - in a cottage settlement near the manor park.

The yellow tourist sign will take you from the village to the most famous point of the Volovec mountains-Skalisko in less than 4 hours. You will be rewarded with panoramic views of the Slovak Ore Mountains, as well as the plains of the Slovak Karst and Spiš Castle.

In connection with the history of the Andrássy family, we also recommend visiting the manor house and the county ice house in the nearby village of Vlachovo - the birthplace of the Emanuel Andrássy.