Párnica: Lakes, Blue-Print Craft and Local History

Párnica lies in the Orava Valley, on both banks of the Zázrivka stream. The village is on the southwestern edge of the Orava Highlands and the northeastern foothills of the Malá Fatra. The lakes, history and traditional crafts offer different ways to explore the area: you can learn about the landscape of the Orava floodplain, discover local history or explore the process of making blue print.

Lakes and trails along the Orava

The Párnické Lakes comprise 21 lakes of varying sizes in the Orava river floodplain. They were formed between 1957 and 1997 through gravel extraction. Beavers are part of the lake ecosystem; this is an indication of the area's wildlife, not a guarantee of a sighting. Párnica also has a thermal mineral spring.

The educational trail at the Párnické Lakes is 1.5 kilometres long. At a brisk pace, the circuit takes about 30 minutes. It starts at the bus stop in Párnica, where there is an information board and signposts. The trail is also suitable for cyclists. If you are walking, you can use the stated walking time as a rough guide; it assumes a brisk pace.

The EKOcentrum Pod Širákom is located in the lake area. This open-air classroom features an interactive table about native wildlife. Signposts there point to a fox educational trail and a beaver cove. As signage may be affected by local maintenance, check its condition before your visit.

Village history and blue print

The first known written mention of Párnica dates to 1420. At the time, the village was referred to as “Villa Parnice” and as a subject village of Orava Castle. Traditional crafts included wheelwrighting, carpentry and woodcarving. This history can also be explored at the village museum Izba starých materí: it is Párnica's first village museum and comprises a rural living room, a barn and a room with historical documents, including photographs.

The museum displays 230 exhibits loaned or donated by residents and people originally from Párnica. The origins of the objects link the collection to the people of the village and its history. Together with the crafts passed down through the generations, the museum offers a tangible insight into rural everyday life and the activities traditionally practised in Párnica.

Ateliér Rabada offers another way to learn about a craft. In workshops, visitors can design and make their own original blue-print pattern. During a tour of the atelier, they can learn about the traditional blue-printing process. If you are planning a workshop or tour, confirm dates and booking arrangements in advance; a prior arrangement may be required for visits to the atelier.

Church architecture and winter sports

The evangelical church in Párnica is a monumental church building, constructed in 1926 and 1927 to a design by the architect J. Burjan. Its decorative elements show echoes of Cubism. The altarpiece is by M. Mitrovský and is dated 1928. The construction period, architectural design and painting offer different points of reference for the village's history.

Winter sports also feature in tourism information about Párnica. A tourism listing updated in December 2014 locates Šport centrum Lučivná SKI in Párnica; its downhill runs are in the Malá Fatra National Park, in the Zázrivka Valley. For the black run Čierna, the listing gives a length of 1,400 metres, a vertical drop of 504 metres and an average gradient of 36 percent. The same listing mentions a ski school and ski and snowboard rental. The date helps put these details in context as information from an older tourism listing.

Discover more destinations: Kraľovany, Oravský Podzámok, Zázrivá, Srňacie, Oravska Poruba, Vyšný Kubín, Dolný Kubín, Veličná.

For the broader travel overview: Okres Dolný Kubín.