Chyžné: Church Art, Samo Tomášik and Routes

Chyžné is home to two historic churches, a memorial room dedicated to Samo Tomášik, and several marked routes. If you are looking for a hotel in Chyžné, you can plan your stay around a theme: church art and local history offer a cultural focus, while hiking and cycling routes provide a different perspective on the town. Which details interest you will depend on whether you would like to explore works of art, the history of Samo Tomášik, or the routes described here.

Churches and Artworks in Chyžné

The Roman Catholic Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary is a national cultural monument dating from the second half of the 13th century. Medieval wall paintings from the second half of the 14th century have been preserved in the presbytery. The furnishings also include a Late Gothic winged altarpiece from 1508, made in the workshop of Master Paul of Levoča. The open altar wings depict the Visitation, the Nativity of Christ, the Adoration of the Magi, and Saint George. If you would like to enter the church, you can ask the parish office in Jelšava about access; check in advance whether a visit is possible.

The Evangelical church offers a different point of comparison in terms of period and art. It was completed and consecrated on November 6, 1786. The church contains a portico-type altar dating from around 1800; its altarpiece depicts the Transfiguration of Christ. Another painting shows the Last Supper and is considered the church’s most valuable painting. The documented highlights of the two churches thus differ: in the Roman Catholic church, attention is drawn, among other things, to the Late Gothic winged altarpiece and the wall paintings in the presbytery; in the Evangelical church, to an altar dating from around 1800 with specific subjects depicted in its paintings.

Samo Tomášik and Local History

The memorial room dedicated to Samo Tomášik opened on September 5, 1997, as a permanent exhibition of historical archival documents and objects. It provides insights into the history of Chyžné and the life and work of Samo Tomášik. In this way, local history and the biography of the person commemorated come together in a single exhibition theme. His name is also associated with specific historic places beyond the memorial room: the parish house next to the Evangelical church was a home and place of work for Samo Tomášik. His grave and gravestone are in the local cemetery.

Other clues to the town’s past can be found in its place names. Chyžné’s mining and ironworking past is reflected in names such as Banský vŕšok, Hutné, and Klinčiareň. Together with the churches and the memorial to Samo Tomášik, these offer different ways to explore local history: through art and architectural history, an exhibition and historical connections to people’s lives, as well as place names passed down over time.

Hiking and Cycling Routes

The Chyžné–Dlhý diel–Chyžné circular hiking trail is 17.2 kilometers long, marked in green, and listed as taking 4 hours and 50 minutes. If you plan to take it, allow for the stated duration and check the route details locally before setting out. The circular trail is distinct from cycling route 5607, which connects the Ochtinská aragonitová jaskyňa, Jelšava, and Chyžné over 13 kilometers. When comparing the distances, the route type also matters: a circular hiking trail on the one hand, and a cycling route between three named places on the other.

The Chyžné–Malý Kohút mountain biking route starts in Chyžné. Along the route, you reach a turnoff to the Klepaná skala rock viewpoint, which has a shelter and a cross. This means two different cycling routes are described: the route to the rock viewpoint and the 13-kilometer cycling route 5607. For your rides, check the markings and conditions locally, as they can change. The combination of churches, the memorial room, and the routes lets you choose the focus of your stay according to your interests without mixing up the individual route descriptions.

Discover more destinations: Polina, Muránska Huta, Rybník, Ratková, Tornal'a, Revúca, Hucín, Gemerská Ves.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Revúca.