HORNÉ POVAŽIE

The area called Horné Považie covering 1097 km2 is situated in the western part of the Žilina Region. A prevalent part of this region is covered by mountains. – Javorníky, Súľovské and Strážovské vrchy, Malá Fatra, Kysucká and Žilinská pahorkatina. The highest peak is Veľký Fatranský Kriváň – 1,709 meters above sea level.

The Region had been administratively integrated part of the Trenčín County since the middle ages until 1923. Later it was a part of Považská County. There are two independent districts – Bytča and Žilina since 1996. The population of the Region is 187 000 people, living in 61 villages and 4 towns. The Region has a lot of world famous cultural relics.

Žilina

The town of Žilina is a modern industrial, transport, trade, tourist and cultural centre of Žilina Region. First mention about Žilina as a town is dated back to the year 1312. The first mention about the town privilege is from the year 1321.

Bytča

The town was granted town privileges before but as a feudal township was under the control of the landlords of Bytča Domain.

Rajec

Rajec has its own museum, cultural centre and the square with the protected historical zone and well preserved Renaissance Town Hall.

Rajecké Teplice

It has been a spa town since the middle ages. The kinetic disorders and neurotic illnesses are treated here. The spa also provides recondition stays and is a great recreation area for tourists.

The Region has a lot of world famous and many others cultural relics. There are 216 immovable and 192 movable cultural relics altogether in the region. The most famous ones are The National Cultural Relics – Renaissance Bytča Castle and Strečno Castle. Important historical relics are also castles Lietava, Starý hrad (Old Castle), Súľov Castle, Hričov Castle, Budatín Castle with a unique Tinker’s exhibition of Považské Museum. Other famous ones are the urban protected zones in Bytča and Rajec, the unique wooden folk architecture in Čičmany declared as a protected area of folk architecture and wooden Betlehem in Rajecká Lesná. The house of the writer J. I. Bajza in Predmier is part of the cultural relics.The Church of the bishop St. Martin in Teplicka treasures mummified mortal remains of Žofia Bošňáková.

Horné Považie is one of the most attractive regions for travel and tourism not only for many cultural and historical relics or spas opportunities, but it is also blessed with beautiful views and other places of interests. The rivers, lakes and dams offer a lot of opportunities for bathing, fishing and also for water sports. Malá Fatra Mountains are very popular for tourists with its 230 marked tourist paths and important summer and winter tourist centre in Vratna Valley. The attractive and well known National Natural Reserves Tiesňavy and Rozsutec is a must for tourists. The starting point of the trips to the National Park Malá Fatra is Terchová village, the native place of the legendary Juraj Jánošík. The village is known for its characteristic folklore and folk art as well as for the annual International Folk Festival.

The Protected Landscape of Kysuce (Javorníky Mountains) and Strážovské vrchy also offers great conditions for hiking. The building of the cycling-treks network between Žilina and Rajec has played an important part to the travel and tourism in the region. The swimming pools in Žilina, Stráňavy and the thermal swimming pools in Rajec and Rajecké Teplice offer very good opportunities for swimming and water sports. Also some famous tourist attractions are sailing, hang gliding, paragliding as well as rafting down the river Váh or the old-style wooden barge across the river Váh under the Strečno Castle.