Zlatno in the Tribeč Mountains: Hotels, Nature and Gold History

Zlatno lies on the southern slope of the Tribeč Mountains. The origin of the village is associated with gold panning in the Stránka stream.

Nature

The northern part of Zlatno lies in the Ponitrie Protected Landscape Area, where protection level 2 applies. In addition, part of the village belongs to the Tribeč Special Protection Area for birds within the Natura 2000 network. Thus, two different forms of protection exist side by side in Zlatno: the Ponitrie Protected Landscape Area with its designated protection level and the Tribeč bird protection area, which is part of the European Natura 2000 network.

History

A document from 1424 recorded that Mikuláš Forgách was granted the right to pan gold from the sand deposits of the Stránka stream. The ruins of Čierny hrad, located near Zlatno, date back to the late 12th century; the castle served as a guard castle between Gýmeš and Hrušov castles. Its remains stand on the summit of a 568 m-high, cone-shaped hill on a side ridge of the Tribeč above Zlatno.

The local museum in Zlatno presents the history of the municipality through photographs as well as household and farming equipment. One room is dedicated to the geographer Michal Lukniš, who is considered one of the founders of modern Slovak geography. Thus, the local history encompasses both work with the stream's natural resources and the everyday life of the municipality, as well as the memory of an important figure in Slovak geography.

Paths and Routes

Several described routes lead through the countryside around Zlatno. Route 049 – Tribečská hrebeňovka is a challenging MTB route for experts. It is 78.5 km long and runs in sections along trails and forest roads; above Zlatno, it continues towards the Javorový vrch area. Another connection is the green cycling route 5115 – Sľažany–Zlatno–Solčany. It leads through the Tribeč Mountains and past Čierny hrad.

The Tajomný chodník Tribečom begins in Zlatno next to the Môj obchod shop. Six routes are available on this trail, including three cycling and three hiking routes. Once downloaded, the audio guide also works offline. On the yellow route, it leads from Zlatno to Čierny hrad. A code-breaking game has been set up there; the hiking trail is 6.5 km long and takes about 2.5 hours.

The history of partisan resistance is also connected with paths between the villages. An educational trail commemorating the partisan resistance connects Zlatno with the former partisan village of Skýcov. Since 1988, hundreds of people have walked the partisan trail between Zlatno and Skýcov every year to commemorate the heroes of the Slovak National Uprising.

The area around Zlatno, together with Velčice, Ladice, Skýcov, Žikava, and Lovce, is one of the most frequently visited mushroom-picking areas.

Getting There

Regular bus services from Nitra and Zlaté Moravce run to the centre of Zlatno. The bus stop is located directly next to the Môj obchod shop at the starting point of the Tajomný chodník Tribečom.

Other Places

Other places: Červený Hrádok, Velčice, Čierne Kľačany, Beladice, Mankovce, Veľké Vozokany, Obyce, Jedľové Kostoľany.

To the main travel overview: Zlaté Moravce.