Hotel in Sunava – Watershed, Church and Educational Trail

In Sunava, the Central European watershed becomes visible at a specific location. The Park dvoch morí in Vyšná Šuňava is a local landmark associated with this watershed. At the Park dvoch morí in Šuňava, it divides the drainage toward the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea. Next to the church, an obelisk monument called “Strecha dvoch morí” stands in a small park; this park is called Park dvoch morí. The monument was erected in the municipality in 2007 and represents a symbolic roof divided into two parts, illustrating the course of the water by means of depicted springs and rivers.

Culture and Local History

The Church of St. Nicholas in Vyšná Šuňava is a Neoclassical church built in 1832. Its interior is single-nave, with a straight-ended chancel. A sacristy is attached to the north side, while a tower projects from the west side. Inside the church is a late Baroque high altar dating from the end of the 18th century. It includes a statue of Saint Nicholas from the 19th century and was restored in 1887 and supplemented with acanthus ornamentation.

The Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity is considered Šuňava’s oldest building. According to the mayor, it was built by Jesuits in the 16th or 17th century on the boundary of the former municipal cadastral territories of Nižná Šuňava and Vyšná Šuňava. The dating therefore remains limited to these two centuries, as does the traditional association with the former boundary of the municipal cadastral territories.

The local culture also includes the Šumiháj folklore group. It was officially founded in Vyšná Šuňava on the initiative of the ethnographer PhDr. Ján Olejník, CSc. The group preserves local customs and performs the stage programs “Regrútska odobierka”, “Svadba”, “Za chlebom”, “Fašiangy sa krátia”, “Ide jar”, “Na Ondreja” and “Nôty, moje nôty”. Šumiháj regularly performs at the Zamagurské folklórne slávnosti, as well as at various celebrations and events in the municipality and its immediate surroundings.

Paths and Routes

The educational trail “Náučný chodník 2” is a walking route that can be used in summer and winter and passes through easy terrain. It is 9.00 km long, has a stated elevation difference of 195 m a.s.l., takes approximately 3 hours and includes 6 stations. Thus, both the seasonal use and the terrain, length, time frame and number of stations for this route are specified. The wording “approximately 3 hours” indicates an approximate time frame; the figures of 9.00 km, 195 m and 6 stations remain the other stated characteristics of this route. The time indication is expressly not formulated as an exact duration.

Another signposted route is called “CESTNÁ REKREA”. Route D7 runs for 2.4 km between Štrba and Vyšná Šuňava.

Other places in the local directory include Strba, Mengusovce, Liptovská Teplicka, Zdiar, Vysoké Tatry, Spišský Štiavnik, Svit and Lucivna.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Poprad.