Velestúr

Velestúr is a 1254 m summit on the main ridge of the Kremnica Mountains (Kremnické vrchy) in Slovakia. It rises above the village of Malachov, about 9 km west of Banská Bystrica, on the boundary of Žiar nad Hronom and Banská Bystrica districts; the summit reaches into the lands of the town of Kremnica and of Radvaň, part of Banská Bystrica. The nearest villages as the crow flies are Králiky (about 4 km), Krahule (5 km), Horné Pršany and Malachov (6 km each). The mountain is also known for the so-called Velestúr inscription.

Velestúr belongs to the Flochovský chrbát subunit and is part of a large massif together with Zlatá studňa (1265 m) to the north, linked by an almost level ridge about 700 m long, and Smrečník to the west. It closes the main part of the Flochová ridge to the south, which then branches into spurs towards the Hron valley. A side ridge runs west via Smrečník to Kremnický štít, another south-west to Labušen and Horný chlm, and to the south the ridge descends gently to the Tri kríže saddle. The more dissected eastern slopes drop steeply into the head of the Malachovská dolina. All water drains to the Hron: the east via the Malachovský potok, the north-western slopes via tributaries of the Kremnický potok, and the southern ones feed the sources of the Vápenný potok.

How to get there / routes

The red long-distance trail, the Slovak National Uprising Heroes' Trail, runs along the main ridge over the summit. The nearby Skalka resort, the attractive ridge and a dense network of trails make the summit easy to reach.

• From the north – red trail from Skalka via the Králické sedlo and Zlatá studňa: about 1 h 30 min (back 1 h 15 min).
• From the south – from the Tri kríže saddle: about 20 min (back 15 min). Marked paths lead to the saddle from Malachov, Horné Pršany and Kremnica.
• Yellow trail from the junction at Chata Hostinec: 20 min up, 15 min down. Hostinec is reached from Kremnica and Ihráč.

What you can see from the top

Like the whole Kremnica ridge, Velestúr has few viewpoints. From them, however, you see the neighbouring peaks, the surroundings of Banská Bystrica and distant ranges: in good weather the south-eastern part of the Greater Fatra, the Low Tatras, Poľana, parts of Javorie, the Štiavnica Mountains, Pohronský Inovec, Vtáčnik and the Strážov Mountains. The local landmark is neighbouring Skalka with the Suchá hora transmitter.

Nature and history

Velestúr, like neighbouring Zlatá studňa, is a fragment of the stratovolcanic structure of the Flochová ridge. It is built mostly of andesites and their pyroclastic rocks. The relief is generally gentle; only the summit is crowned by a tall, fractured rock outcrop, and smaller rocks appear on the slopes.

The mountain's best-known story is the Velestúr inscription. It was carved into the rock in what was claimed to be Proto-Slavic, but it is in fact a forgery made in the mid-1860s by the Kremnica archivist and historian Pavol Križko. Today it is barely legible.

Safety, season and rules

The routes to Velestúr are wooded and easy and can be walked all year; in winter the ridge is popular with cross-country skiers. Take care on the fractured summit rock, especially when wet and with children. In fog on the wooded ridge, follow the waymarks. Slovak Mountain Rescue Service (HZS): 18 300 (+421 18 300) or 112.

Interesting facts

• The Velestúr inscription is one of the well-known Slovak historical forgeries of the 19th century.
• From the Tri kríže saddle the summit is only 20 minutes' walk away.

Photos: Peko, CC BY-SA 4.0; Peko, CC BY-SA 4.0; Peko, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons.