Slovak opal mines - Trocany wooden church - Velky Saris castle - Presov

Route: Kosice - Slovak opal mines - Trocany wooden church - Velky Saris castle - Presov - Kosice
Duration: 8 h
Firstly we will visit to the beautiful opal mines  in eastern Slovakia are admired in the whole world. Opals from Slovak opal mines are highly appreciated in the world markets for their unique characteristics. Their asset is what is referred to as opalescence that means the perfect play of colours. Opal mines were known throughout the world since the late 16th century. The precious opal mined in Slovakia opal mines was very popular with members of the family of the emperor Napoleon. Empress Josephine wore the most famous Precious opal called- Trojan Fire opal. The biggest Slovakia opal in the world Harlequin was found in 1775 in the bed of the brook Oľšavka. It is 13 cm long and it weighs 594 g (2,970 carats ). Next we will visit to the Greek Catholic wooden church of St Lucas the Evangelist. It is probably the oldest wooden church of the Eastern rite not only in Slovakia, but in whole Carpathian region. According to the church style it definitelly dates back to the turn of the 15th and 16th century at latest. The church is of a log structure. It has three parts, three spaces, two towers and three crosses.  The sanctuary is covered with saddle roof. In the church tower are two bells. In the church is located also uncomplete iconostasis, being part of the National Cultural Monuments. It has two rows and dates back to the 17th century. Instead of the first row are only freely hanged icons of St. Nicholas, icon of the Mother of God the Hodegitria, icon of Christ the Teacher and smaller patron feast icon of the holy Evangelist Luke. Next we will visit to ruins of one of the largest castles in Slovakia, the Saris Castle. The hike up to the castle is very easy and the trail is fitted with information panels that reveal interesting facts about local fauna, flora, geology and history. The spectacular view the castle offers of Šariš lowland and Čergov and Stráže mountain ranges is a more-than-generous reward for those who manage to reach the castle. The castle, as it is often the case, is subject to legends. Next we will reach the Presov which is one of the oldest royal towns in Slovakia and is the historical centre of the Šariš Region. With 254 historical monuments, Prešov’s historical centre has been registered as an Urban Conservation Area since 1950. PREŠOV - the town with an interesting past and dynamic present and mixed Slovak, Polish, Ukrainian and Ruthenian population is the metropolis of the north-eastern Slovakia. PREŠOV has been the rival of Košice and Bardejov, each of them trying to win the dominance in eastern Slovakia. Prešov is the centre of the Eastern District of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession and the educational centre of the region. During our visit you will see a complex of buildings used for salt mining dating back to the 16th century, you  know what the 49th parallel of north latitude runs through Prešov similarly to Paris, Regensburg and Karlsruhe,  Prešov was the capital of the Slovak Republic (1918) and the Slovak Soviet Republic (1919), Prešov owns the official replica of the Shroud of Turin and more. Also you will know about the buildings in the historic centre are parts of the Town Monument Reserve, which are concentrated into its historical core stretching around Hlavná street, which widens into the spindle-shaped square. Its dominant is the parish church of St. Nicholas from the mid-14th century with a tall tower reconstructed in the Gothic style. In 1887 the Late Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque burgher houses were reconstructed in the new style. The four-wing Klobušický Palace in the southern part of the eastern row is a nice example. The most valuable building of the eastern row of houses is the Rákózci Palace. Today it houses the Vlastivedné Museum. Next to the Neptuns fountain in a small park on the square is the building of the town hall. Originally it was used as the town tavern, now it is the private Museum of Wines. The most valuable structure of the square is the Greek-Catholic Cathedral of St. John the Baptist from the 18th century, which forms a common structure with the Bishop Palace and the Greek-Catholic Theological Faculty. After free time we return to Kosice.
Price: per person