Veľká Franková – Trails, Water and History in the Spišská Magura

Veľká Franková is characterised by routes leading across the border to Poland. A red-marked hiking trail passes through the village and connects it with the Polish municipality of Kacwin via the tourist border crossing at Malá Franková. From the border, this trail leads via Malá Franková to the ridge of the Spišská Magura at Mount Magurka, at an altitude of 1,193 m, and continues to Ždiar. An asphalt cycle path also leads from Veľká Franková through the border crossing to the neighbouring Polish municipality of Kacwin. Along the cross-border cycle path, two small waterfalls can be seen on the Ostrunianka, one on the Slovak side and one on the Polish side.

Nature

Veľká Franková lies in the Spišská Magura and in the valley of the Frankovský potok stream. Below Veľká Franková, the Frankovský potok joins the Osturniansky potok to form the Kacwinianka. This river flows into the Dunajec in Poland. Several watercourse names in the village area are therefore interconnected across the border: from the stream in the valley, through the confluence below the village, to the further course of the Kacwinianka in Poland.

History

Veľká Franková was probably founded as early as the end of the 13th century by members of the Berzevici noble family from Veľká Lomnica, under German, or šoltýs, law. The first genuine original document proving the existence of Franková dates from 1314. The historical occupations of the inhabitants of Veľká Franková mainly included agriculture, livestock farming and forestry work. These details connect the early history of the village with the activities that shaped the lives of its inhabitants for a long time.

Culture

The Church of Saint Nicholas was built in 1784 in the Classicist style. It has a late Baroque high altar with Rococo ornamentation. A wooden bell tower stands on the grounds of the church. The tower dates from 1921 and has four bells, cast in 1921 and 1924 by a bell foundry from Chomutov. The Church of Saint Nicholas is in good condition and continues to serve its religious purpose.

Another testament to the local history is the water mill and sawmill in Veľká Franková. They preserve an original saw frame that is still operational today. The water mill and sawmill are accessible by prior arrangement.

When comparing accommodation offers, consider the included services, individual price components, and the booking and cancellation conditions. This keeps the specific differences comprehensible without anticipating details that become binding only on the respective page. Before booking, the exact location, type of accommodation and possible occupancy can be checked on the relevant offer page. The included services, individual price components, and booking and cancellation conditions should likewise be compared in detail. These checkpoints provide a clear basis for comparing different offers without anticipating features of the stay.

More destinations

More destinations on poezdka.de include Lechnica, Tvarožná, Lendak, Malý Slavkov, Stara Lesna, Matiašovce, Majere, Spišské Hanušovce.

For the higher-level travel overview: Okres Kežmarok.