Kokava nad Rimavicou can be discovered from two different perspectives: historical glass and architectural heritage on the one hand, and marked trails to elevated destinations and through the landscape on the other. When planning a stay, it helps to first choose your focus: exhibitions, historic buildings or a route into the surrounding area.
Glass History at the Stará škola
The Stará škola Kokava is a historic building dating from 1913 and a local memorial site. Since 2021, it has served as a cultural and educational venue. Under the title “Príbeh skla,” it hosts exhibitions on historic glass and presentations of contemporary glass design. In this way, different eras of the material come together: historic glass objects are displayed alongside modern design.
Individual visits are also possible outside regular opening hours. If you would like to take advantage of this, arrange your visit in advance; opening arrangements may change. The local history of glass also includes the production of hollow, thick-walled, round bottles made of green glass. They were used to bottle mineral water in Slatina. The bottles’ specific purpose is therefore part of the story—not just their shape and color.
Architectural History and Historic Traces
The Roman Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul was built in 1820. In 1903, a tower with four bells and a choir were added. The lower part of the tower and a stone Gothic portal of the inner doors remain from an original church building dating from 1566. These details document different construction periods and surviving architectural elements.
A bridge in Kokava nad Rimavicou is considered probably the oldest structure in the village. Kokava nad Rimavicou is also home to the entrance to an old mine adit from earlier gold mining. The history of transport is linked to a specific year as well: the railway station building in Kokava nad Rimavicou was built in 1908, together with the Poltár–Kokava nad Rimavicou railway line.
Marked Trails and Elevated Destinations
A red-marked hiking trail leads to Diel, which lies 934 meters above sea level. A green-marked hiking trail leads to Slopovo at 853 meters. The two destinations therefore differ in elevation by 81 meters; the trail colors also indicate different routes.
Slopovo is also a waypoint on the green-marked tourist route No. 5466. It runs from Kokava nad Rimavicou via Slopovo and Laz to Pereš Saddle. Another red-marked route runs from Rimavská Baňa below Sinec and through Bodnárka to the center of Kokava nad Rimavicou. The endpoints make the difference between the routes clear: one leads from Kokava to Pereš Saddle, while the other comes from the direction of Rimavská Baňa and ends in the village center.
Activities in the Surrounding Area
In the Kokavská rekreačná oblasť, scenic meadow ridges beside the ski slopes are suitable for cross-country skiing, hiking and active cycling. The Kokava-Línia Ski Center is also nearby. Its easy, undemanding slopes are particularly suitable for beginners and families with children. Before planning a day of skiing, it is worth checking the latest slope information.
Liešnica is a district of Kokava nad Rimavicou and is reached from the Vlkovo part of the village. The Včelí kRaj educational center is located there. It offers creative workshops for schools of all levels and the general public; advance booking is required.
If a workshop or visit is the focus of your stay, plan to arrange it in advance. Individual visits to the Stará škola are possible outside regular opening hours, while workshops at Včelí kRaj must be booked. These arrangements can help you choose where to stay, without prescribing a fixed itinerary for the different cultural and landscape attractions.
Discover more destinations: Ozdín, Zlatno, Uhorské, Hradište, Hrnčiarska Ves, Poltár, Breznička, České Brezovo
For the overview of the wider area: Okres Poltár.
