Stará Lesná: Hotels, TANAP and Astronomical Educational Trail

Stará Lesná lies in the Poprad Basin below the lower boundary of Tatranský národný park and serves as a starting point for the central part of TANAP. The village’s geographical location and connection to the national park are therefore central to its character.

Nature

Tatranský národný park administers 2,428 hectares of the former cadastral territory of Stará Lesná. This area figure expressly refers to the former cadastral territory of the village and describes the park’s administrative area.

Marked routes for skiers and cyclists lead from Stará Lesná. The routes are therefore designated for two different activities and reinforce the village’s connection to the central part of TANAP.

Things to do

Another special feature is the Astronomical Educational Trail. It consists of 13 panels containing important information about the technical equipment of the astronomical institute and celestial bodies. The content thus combines the technical aspect of the institute with the study of astronomical objects.

The Astronomical Educational Trail begins at the institute’s main building in Stará Lesná and ends at the final dome with telescopes. Its route is therefore clearly defined by its starting point at the institute building and its endpoint at a dome with telescopes. The educational trail is accessible year-round.

Culture

The Roman Catholic church is the most valuable historic building in Stará Lesná. It has a Renaissance bell tower added around 1600, which complements the church with an architectural element from the Renaissance period.

The Evangelical church is also part of the village’s history. It was built in 1822. Its construction took place after Emperor Leopold II had approved the extended rights of the Evangelical Church. The year of construction and the historical context are thus presented together directly.

History

Stará Lesná was founded by the Berzeviczy family in the second half of the 13th century. The village is first mentioned in a document from 1294. The foundation and the first documentary mention therefore belong to the same early phase of the village’s history, but should be read as two separate historical facts.

The dating of the foundation points to the second half of the 13th century, while the document from 1294 constitutes the earliest written evidence mentioned. Together with the two churches and their different construction dates, this creates a historical span from the medieval foundation of the village to the 19th century.

Accessibility

Stará Lesná can be reached by bus from Poprad and Kežmarok. From the High Tatras, the village can be reached via the TEŽ (Tatranská elektrická železnica) and by bus. Poprad and Kežmarok, as well as the High Tatras, are therefore listed as named directions of approach.

The cadastral territory of Stará Lesná contains several large hotels, recreational facilities, guesthouses and a settlement with private holiday homes.

When comparing offers for a hotel in Stará Lesná, you can check several points on the respective offer page before booking: the exact location, the type of accommodation and the possible occupancy. Included services, individual price components, and the booking and cancellation conditions are also relevant. This allows the offers to be compared according to the same criteria, without assuming features or terms that are not stated on the respective page.

Other places: Spišská Belá, Malý Slavkov, Jezersko, Majere, Matiašovce, Veľká Lomnica, Vrbov, Spišské Hanušovce

To the higher-level travel overview: Kežmarok District.