Discover Gemerské Dechtáre

Gemerské Dechtáre lies in the northeastern part of the Cerová vrchovina, in the valley of a tributary of the Mačací potok. The hilly to mountainous landscape is mostly unforested. A blue-marked hiking trail passes through the settlement, and the Steblová skala nature reserve offers a distinct geological and ecological focus. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider different themes, from the landscape and hiking route to the history of the settlement.

Landscape and elevation

The valley description refers to the location of Gemerské Dechtáre; the elevations of 192 to 486 metres above sea level, by contrast, apply to the entire municipality. The terrain consists of Middle Tertiary sandstones. Combined with its hilly, mostly open character, this gives a specific picture of the landscape without narrowing the focus to a single viewpoint or a particular route.

Steblová skala: basalt and forest-steppe

The Steblová skala nature reserve covers 35.42 hectares and has been protected since 2000. Steblová skala is an exposed basalt infill of a volcanic crater. Its geological features include basalt dikes, basalt flows and the preserved columnar jointing of the basalt. This means that a different type of rock is the focus here from the sandstones that make up the municipality’s terrain.

Rare and protected warmth-loving plant and animal species live in the forest-steppe areas of Steblová skala. The geological features and the habitat of protected species give the area two distinct nature themes. Please observe the nature reserve’s protection regulations.

The blue-marked hiking trail

The blue-marked hiking trail passes through the settlement of Gemerské Dechtáre. It starts at Jesenské railway station and runs via Širkovce, Širkovský hrad and the Fušom hill to Gemerské Dechtáre. This means the route includes a specific starting point and several named stops.

In the protected area, the trail crosses the Dechtársky potok and then continues through Senná and Ragáč. The route therefore includes both a stretch through the settlement and a section along the stream in the protected area. Check current trail conditions locally before setting out on your hike.

Chapel and local history

The oldest monument in Gemerské Dechtáre is a Neoclassical chapel dating from 1880. The settlement is documented in writing as early as 1244. The chapel and the early written record mark two distinct historical points of reference: a 19th-century building and a much older history of the settlement.

During the Turkish wars of the 16th and 17th centuries and the plague epidemic of 1709–1710, Gemerské Dechtáre fell into decline; as a result, only one urbárnik lived there in 1715. Records from 1828 list 75 houses and 573 residents engaged in agriculture. From 1938 to 1944, Gemerské Dechtáre was annexed to Hungary. These milestones add a timeline to the landscape and hiking information, ranging from the earliest written record and population figures to a later territorial status.

Discover more travel destinations: Slizké, Rakytník, Dubovec, Širkovce, Radnovce, Budikovany, Rimavská Seč, Drienčany.

For the regional travel overview: Okres Rimavská Sobota.