Pohorelá

Pohorelá is a village in the Brezno District of the Banská Bystrica Region, Slovakia, located on the right bank of the upper Hron River at the foothills of the Low Tatras. The village sits at an elevation of 724 metres above sea level, in the heart of the Horehronie ethnographic region. To the left of the Hron, the Vepor Mountains rise steeply, forming part of the Slovak Ore Mountains and the Muránska Planina National Park. Notable nearby landmarks include the Ždiar Saddle, Orlová Peak, Andrejcová Hill, Mašianske skalky nature reserve, and the Pohorelá uplands.

The village was founded at the beginning of the seventeenth century under the Vlach law, on the estate of Muráň Castle. The earliest written mention of Pohorelá dates to 1612. The original inhabitants were engaged in shepherding and forestry. In the eighteenth century, iron ore mining and ironworks were established, making Pohorelá an important industrial centre in the region. During the Slovak National Uprising, partisan groups were active nearby, and the village was liberated by the Romanian Army in January 1945.

Pohorelá is known for its natural beauty, traditional Horehronie culture, and Goral heritage. The village lies within the protection zone of the Low Tatras National Park and close to Muránska Planina National Park. Mineral water springs are found at the upper end of the village, and the Roman Catholic church, built in 1762, is a local landmark. Pohorelá also hosts the annual World Scything Championship.

Visitors to Pohorelá and its surroundings can explore over twenty marked hiking trails, such as "Pohorelá, station – Andrejcová shelter", "Sedlo Priehyba – Ipoltica Valley, mouth", and "Závadka nad Hronom, station – Sedlo Oravcová". Hiking enthusiasts can ascend Kráľova hoľa, one of the most notable peaks of the Low Tatras, and visit the Kráľova hoľa mountain meadows. Accommodation is available at the "Chata pod Kráľovou hoľou".

Getting there from Ukraine

From Uzhhorod to Brezno ≈274 km, ≈3 h 50 min without queues: Uzhhorod – Vyšné Nemecké → I/19 to Košice → D1 via Prešov and Poprad to the exit near Liptovský Hrádok → I/18 and I/72 over the Čertovica Pass to Brezno. To Banská Bystrica ≈322 km, ≈4 h 30 min: D1 to Ružomberok, then I/59 via Donovaly. From Lviv: to Brezno via Uzhok and Ubľa ≈498 km (≈7 h 45 min) or through Poland ≈554 km (≈7 h 05 min); to Banská Bystrica through Poland (Kraków – Chyżne – Trstená – Dolný Kubín – Ružomberok) ≈535 km, ≈7 h 15 min. The D1 requires an e-vignette (eznamka.sk).

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, OpenStreetMap, Karpaty.rocks data. More on Wikipedia