Topľa River

The Topľa (in Ukrainian tradition also Tepla) is a river in eastern Slovakia, the right-bank and largest tributary of the Ondava. It is 129.8 km long, and its basin covers 1,506 km² according to Slovak sources or 1,544 km² according to Polish ones. The mean flow is 8.3 m³/s at Hanušovce nad Topľou and 11.1 m³/s at the mouth. The Topľa is an upland-and-lowland river: it rises in the Čergov hills, flows past Bardejov, Giraltovce, Hanušovce and Vranov and on the East Slovak Lowland near Parchovany joins the Ondava at about 102 m.

The course: from source to mouth

The springs of the Topľa lie at 980–1,000 m about 1.5 km south-east of the summit of Minčol (1,157 m), in the centre of the Čergov hills, about 2 km south-west of the village of Livovská Huta. The spring area is protected by the «Pramenisko Tople» nature reserve. At first the river flows north-east down a deep, narrow valley, and from the village of Livov, where it receives the Vlčí potok on the right, north; here its bed passes through another reserve, «Livovská jelšina».

In an intermontane basin below Malcov the Topľa takes in its first larger tributary on the left, the Večný potok, and turns east. Below Gerlachov the Slatvinec joins on the right, at Tarnov the Sveržovka on the left, bringing water from below the main Carpathian ridge between the Tylicz pass and Płaziny above Wysowa. In Bardejov the river receives the left-bank Kamenec and the right-bank Šibská voda, and beyond the town gradually turns south-east. In its middle course the Topľa meanders strongly through the eastern Ondava Upland, passes Giraltovce, where the Radomka joins on the left, and Hanušovce nad Topľou. From there its valley widens and separates the Ondava Upland from the Slanské vrchy, from which the river collects many small tributaries, among them the Hermanovský potok from below Šimonka, the highest summit of these hills. In Vranov nad Topľou the left-bank Čičava and the right-bank Lomnica join; then the Topľa enters the lowland, becomes a lowland river, takes in the Olšava on the right and near Parchovany joins the Ondava.

In the Slovak division of relief, from Hanušovce the Topľa flows through the Beskid Foothills, from Vranov through the East Slovak Hills, and then enters the East Slovak Plain. Through the Ondava and then the Bodrog its water reaches the Tisza; together with its tributaries the Topľa drains most of the Bardejov district.

What to see along the river

• Bardejov: historic town centre and St Giles’ Basilica — a medieval town on the Topľa.
• Icon Exhibition of the Šariš Museum, Bardejov — in Bardejov near the river.
• The «Pramenisko Tople» reserve below Minčol — the river's springs in the Čergov forests.

The river and people

The towns of Bardejov, Giraltovce, Hanušovce nad Topľou and Vranov nad Topľou stand on the Topľa — the names of the last two contain the river's name. The Topľa's water is little used economically: only to supply settlements with drinking water and for a few small factories. In Bardejov the Oroszova lávka footbridge crosses the river.

Nature and safety

The upper Topľa is protected by two reserves — «Pramenisko Tople» around the springs and «Livovská jelšina» with alder forest along the bed. Like all Carpathian rivers, the Topľa rises quickly after downpours and during snowmelt, so keep away from undercut banks. Emergency numbers: 112, in the mountains HZS 18 300.

Nearby: peaks, trails, huts

The trail Livovská Huta – Minčol leads to the springs below Minčol, Sedlo Priehyby – Livov, junction crosses the upper valley, Hlinné – Ivanov Peak climbs from Hlinné to the ridge, and above Bardejov runs Bardejov, Mníchovský potok – Bardejov, Vinbarg.

Photos: Przykuta (talk), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; EfreetSK, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Zberateľ, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.