Dubník

Dubník is a forested 874 m hill in the northern half of the Slanské vrchy in eastern Slovakia, in the Šimonka subunit. It rises above the village of Červenica, about 14 km south-east of Prešov, on the boundary of the Zlatá Baňa and Červenica cadastres. The hill is easy to spot from afar: on its top stands a radio and television transmitter with a 318 m mast — the tallest structure in Slovakia.

Dubník lies in the south-western part of the Šimonka group, south of its highest peak, Šimonka (1,092 m), on a spur running west to Tancoška (845 m). To the north are Tri oltáre (906 m) and Čierna hora (1,073 m), to the east Praporec (961 m), to the south Menší vrch (950 m) and Makovica (981 m). The northern and western slopes drain via the Olšavka brook into the Oľšava river, the southern ones via the Jedľovec brook.

How to get there / routes

There is no marked trail to the summit itself. A red ridge trail from Makovica to Čierna hora passes to the east, and a blue trail from Červenica runs along the south-eastern slope to the Za Dubníkom junction. The easiest access is the asphalt road branching off route III/3440 between Zlatá Baňa and Červenica; roads also lead to the transmitter from Zámutov and from the former settlement of Dubník, now part of Červenica.

What you can see from the top

The top is occupied by the transmitter station and surrounded by continuous forest, so the summit itself has no views. From open spots nearby you can see the neighbouring Slanské vrchy, the Košice Basin, the Volovské vrchy, Čierna hora and the Vihorlat, and in very good weather even the Tatras and Kráľova hoľa.

Nature and history

The Dubník transmitter is a guyed steel mast 318 m tall, the tallest structure in Slovakia, similar in design to the Suchá hora transmitter. It was built in 1961 and went on air on 24 February 1961; a separate free-standing steel telecommunications tower stands next to it. In August 1968 the occupying armies destroyed its broadcasting equipment. Today it is one of the most powerful transmitters in the country: its signal covers most of eastern Slovakia, and since January 2023 it has also broadcast DAB+ digital radio.

South of the summit lies the protected site of the Dubník mines — the famous Dubník opal mines. The 6 ha site was protected in 1964 as an exceptionally important bat hibernaculum: 16 species have been recorded, including the greater and lesser horseshoe bats and the western barbastelle. Dubník opal was known worldwide from the end of the 16th century, and it may already have been mined in Roman times. The largest local opal, the "Harlequin", weighing 594 g, was found in 1775 and is now kept in the Natural History Museum in Vienna. Napoleon's family loved Dubník opals — Empress Joséphine wore the celebrated "Burning of Troy" opal. Until deposits were discovered in Mexico and Australia in the 19th century, the Dubník mines were the only place in the world where precious opal was mined. Mining ended in 1922 as unprofitable, and since 1 July 2015 the underground has been open to visitors through the Jozef adit.

Safety, season and rules

The walk up by road or forest paths is easy and possible all year, but the transmitter compound is fenced — do not go beyond the fence. Remember that there is no marked trail to the summit itself. In winter the road may be snowbound, and in fog it is easy to lose your way in the forest. Slovak Mountain Rescue Service (HZS): 18 300 (+421 18 300); general emergency number 112.

Interesting facts

• The 318 m mast on Dubník is the tallest structure in Slovakia.
• The "Harlequin" opal from the mines below Dubník weighs 594 g and is kept in Vienna.
• Sixteen bat species hibernate in the old mine galleries.

Photos: Milan Bališin, CC BY-SA 4.0; Milan Bališin, CC BY-SA 4.0; Ing. Mgr. Jozef Kotulič, CC BY-SA 4.0; Ing.Mgr.Jozef Kotulič, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.