Illau Hotels Between City History and Mountain Trails

Illau combines a multifaceted urban history with sacred architecture and trails leading into the mountain landscape. Between the museum, church, cemetery, hiking route and cycle path, the town reveals very different facets: historical evidence in Ilava, specific routes via Sokol and Háj, and events with a regional character.

History

The first reliable mention of Ilavský hrad dates back to 1446. Ilavská zvonica also points to the town’s older architectural history: it was extensively remodeled in the Baroque style in 1758, gaining a second floor and a curved Baroque roof.

The historical exhibition on the ground floor of the Ilava City Museum is currently open to the public. It covers the origins and history of the town as well as the history of the castle – from its early beginnings through the aristocratic and monastic complex to the prison. Other topics include life in the town, guilds and crafts, the Ilava brewery, the Jewish religious community, Gábor Baross and the château in Klobušice. Infocentrum Ilava serves as the entrance to the City Museum and sells tourist maps, books and postcards, among other items.

The monastery and prison are also connected with a significant historical transformation in Ilava. In 1856, the monastery was converted, with comparatively minor modifications, into a nationwide prison for inmates serving sentences of more than ten years. The crypt of Gábor Baross, who served as a former Minister of Transport and Trade under the government of Austria-Hungary, is located in Klobušice. The crypt was completed in 1895; until then, Gábor Baross had been buried in the crypt of the church in Ilava.

Church

The Roman Catholic Church of All Saints in Ilava was built from 1701 to 1718, and its towers were completed in 1722. The church is a single-nave Baroque hall church with a crypt and two corner towers. The crypt extends beneath the entire church. Several members of the Trinitarian Order, as well as some of the church’s founders and members of the local nobility, are buried there. At present, the Church of All Saints can only be accessed through a single main entrance via a narrow path between the prison walls.

Another historical site is the Jewish cemetery in Ilava. It is one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in the central Považie region.

Hiking

The marked hiking trail from Ilava via Sokol and the Háj settlement leads from Ilava railway station to Vápeč, which is 956 meters high. The entire route takes about four and a half hours and has an elevation gain of 706 meters. The trail alternates between forest and mountain meadows and offers uninterrupted views.

A different type of landscape can be found in the Iliavčanská dolina valley. The weekend-home area there is a recreational area on the outskirts of the town of Ilava.

Cycling

For cycling, a newly opened 11.6-kilometer section of the Vážska cyklomagistrála connects Nemšová, Dubnica nad Váhom and Košeca. Those using the Vážska cyklomagistrála from Ilava can leave their car in a free park-and-ride parking area at the railway station and access the cycle route directly from there. For cyclists starting in Ilava, the route provides a safe connection to the surrounding towns and an opportunity to explore the region.

Events

Ilavský beh is a 13-kilometer road race through the Porubská and Iliavská valleys in the Strážovské vrchy mountains. The route has an elevation gain of 176 meters. The Ilavský beh has been organized since 1996.

The regularly held Bartolomejský jarmok in Ilava takes place at the end of August on the occasion of the Feast of Saint Bartholomew. The fair combines craft stalls, traditional fair specialties, regional products and a cultural program.

Afterwards, you can compare offers for Illau and the surrounding area.

For the higher-level travel overview: Trenčín.