Kluknava: Culture, Crafts and Technological History

Kluknava can be explored through several distinct themes: shoemaking and church architecture, technical monuments, as well as an educational trail and an observation tower. These themes range from the shoe museum near the town centre to the approximately 7.5-kilometre educational trail and the Green Point observation tower above the town.

Shoemaking and architectural history

The shoe museum exhibition is housed in the listed Dom služobníctva s hospodárstvom near the town centre. The shoe museum displays footwear worn from prehistoric times to the present day. The exhibition includes a shoemaker’s room and workshop, historical tools and shoes, as well as figures wearing traditional historical dress. Finished shoes and the setting of the shoemaking trade are presented side by side. If you are interested in how shoes were made and used, the workspace, tools and clothing add further insight into the craft alongside the exhibits.

The Church of St Catherine of Alexandria can also be placed in context across several periods. It was built in 1555 as a Renaissance church originally intended for Protestant worship. During its extensive restoration in 2012–2013, the interior was modernised with new mosaics. The church continues to serve its religious purpose. Another point of architectural interest is the Baroque manor house in Kluknava: it dates from 1715–1720 and has Renaissance origins. It belonged to the Kluknava-Iliašovce line of the Csáky family.

Bridge, copper works and watermill

The covered wooden bridge over the Hornád connects Kluknava with the settlement of Štefánska Huta. It was built in 1832 and is a technical monument. The ruins of Europe’s first electrolytic copper production plant are located in Štefánska Huta; the plant was built in 1845–1848. Kluknava’s watermill with a Francis turbine, dating from 1910, is another site. The dates place these three technical landmarks in chronological context: 1832 for the bridge, 1845–1848 for the plant and 1910 for the mill. They also represent different types of sites: a river crossing, the remains of a copper works and a mill with a turbine.

Educational trail, views and pilgrimage

The “Osobnosti a história Kluknavy” educational trail is a circular route approximately 7.5 kilometres long, running mostly through natural surroundings. Green Point offers a different perspective: the observation tower is above Kluknava and about a 1.5-hour walk from the town. When choosing between the two, you can use route length and walking time as different planning considerations. Roháčka is a separate destination: at 1,028.5 metres above sea level, it is the highest peak in the Čierna hora Mountains.

Another distinct reason to visit is the Chapel of St Anne in the nearby forests of Kluknava. It remains a pilgrimage site; worshippers come there every year on the last Sunday in July. If you would like to include this recurring religious occasion in your travel plans, the last Sunday in July is the date to keep in mind.

Discover more destinations: Gelnica, Nalepkovo, Margecany

Return to the regional travel guide: Gelnica District.