Kameňany combines medieval church art with a striking karst landscape above the village. Two different perspectives are available for planning your trip: the village’s architectural and cultural history, and the landforms and water of the Jelšava Karst. Traces of earlier craft and industrial activities add to the picture. The range of themes thus extends from medieval church architecture to large sinkholes and a karst spring.
Church, Frescoes and Historic Buildings
The evangelical church in Kameňany dates from the mid-13th century and has Romanesque foundations. Its frescoes also span several periods: it preserves paintings from the first half of the 14th century and from the 15th century. These include a depiction of the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus and Saint Anne, known as Metercia. The building’s history and its artwork therefore reflect different periods, from the early church to later phases of medieval decoration.
Opposite the church stands the historically significant Neoclassical building of the former Latin school, which is designated a cultural monument. There is also an early 19th-century bell tower right next to the church, described as Rococo-Neoclassical in style. The three buildings differ both in function and in their historical and architectural context: the medieval church stands alongside a Neoclassical school building and a bell tower from a later period. Anyone interested in architectural history will find several clearly distinct points of interest here, rather than just one historical connection.
Crafts, Theatre and Local History
The village’s history includes earlier craft and cultural activities as well as its churches. Kameňany had a pottery tradition. A Slovak amateur theatre group was also active here from 1866 to 1871—a clearly defined period in the village’s cultural history. These examples show different aspects of life in the past: pottery as a tradition and theatre as a specific cultural activity during those years.
The extraction of raw materials is also part of the area’s history. Iron ore deposits were found around Kameňany, and the iron extracted was once processed in steelworks. Along with the pottery tradition, this adds another dimension beyond religious buildings and murals. A local speciality is also a distillate made from Cornelian cherries. These craft, industrial and culinary connections complement the architectural and theatrical history, although they do not all belong to the same period.
Karst Landscape and Spring
Above Kameňany lies the Kameňany Karst Landscape, a plateau considered the most interesting karst area in the Jelšava Karst. Its large, bowl-shaped sinkholes, up to 600 metres in diameter, are particularly striking.
At the foot of the karst landscape lies the Hlavište karst spring. Its average discharge is 20 litres per second. For travellers more interested in nature than architectural history, the plateau, with its sinkholes and spring, offers a distinct focus.
A Section of the Cycling Route
On the Kameňany–Tvrdošovo cycling route, the route towards Rákoš initially follows a paved road. After about 1.5 kilometres, it turns left onto a paved forest track. Check the current trail conditions before setting out.
Church art and karst offer two very different themes to consider when planning a trip to Kameňany. The frescoes and historic buildings make it a good choice for a focus on cultural history; the plateau, its sinkholes and the spring offer a different perspective. The village’s history of pottery, theatre and iron processing complements both with a look at earlier ways of life and work.
Discover more destinations: Levkuška, Rašice, Višňové, Žiar, Chyžné, Rybník, Muránska Huta, Skerešovo
For the wider travel overview: Revúca District.
