Rimavská Sobota: Culture, Museum and Kurinec

If you are looking for a hotel in Rimavská Sobota, first consider whether the museum and historic sites or activities around Kurinec–Zelená voda will shape your stay more. The Gothic Route and the Gemer-Rimavský Circuit offer their own cultural highlights; at the recreation area, swimming and sports take centre stage.

Museum and Architectural History

The Gemersko-malohontské múzeum has been housed in the former artillery barracks since 1910. The Classicist building was constructed in 1850 and is listed as a national cultural monument. The permanent exhibition in its current form opened to the public on 20 December 1979. Its concept aims to give visitors as comprehensive an insight as possible into Gemer-Malohont. One especially tangible exhibit is the Egyptian mummy Tasheritnetiak from Abusir el-Melek; it is one of five Egyptian mummies in Slovakia.

Sights and Cultural Routes

The Gothic Route recommends starting at the Tourist Information Centre on Hlavné námestie and first visiting the sights of Rimavská Sobota. The Gemer-Rimavský Circuit of the Gothic Route is presented as a tourist offering from Rimavská Sobota and connects various sites and cultural monuments. The two suggestions have different emphases: the recommendation first draws attention to the city's sights, while the circuit connects various cultural sites.

The Classicist Roman Catholic Church of St John the Baptist on Hlavné námestie was built between 1774 and 1790. Another historic stop is the Aleja významných dejateľov on Námestie Š. M. Daxnera. As of May 2018, the memorial site, established in 2006, comprised a total of 19 memorials to historical figures associated with Gemer and Malohont.

In September, the Gemer-Malohont Fair showcases products by local and regional craftspeople. These include wood carvings, leatherwork, pottery, textiles with traditional embroidery and bell-making. If you want the fair to influence your travel dates, check the current dates before planning.

Swimming, Sports and Cycling at Kurinec–Zelená voda

The Kurinec–Zelená voda recreation area offers swimming in the reservoir and in pools with drinking water and geothermal water at 33 °C. There is also a children's pool with attractions and a complex of water slides. This means there are different ways to enjoy the water: swimming in the reservoir, using the pools and going on the slides.

Boats, pedal boats and paddleboards are available for hire. The facilities also include tennis courts, table tennis, football pitches and beach volleyball courts. The cycling route from Rimavská Sobota to the Kurinec recreation area is listed as 4,330 metres long. Its two branches start at Školská and Hostinského, respectively. The length and starting points provide practical details if you include the cycling route in your plans.

Nature in Kurinecká dubina

Kurinecká dubina is also the name of a protected area where old oak trees are preserved. They provide a habitat for many protected bird and insect species, bats and other small mammals. This lets you give different priorities to your trip: a museum and historic sites, cultural monuments, leisure by the water, or an area whose old oaks and animal habitats are the main focus.

Discover more destinations: Dubovec, Číž, Jestice, Hnúšťa, Kociha, Padarovce, Rimavské Brezovo, Štrkovec.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Rimavská Sobota.