Discover Betliar: Culture, Park and Hotels

Betliar combines a manor house with distinctive collections, a historic park and marked trails. When planning a stay, you can choose what to focus on: culture, parkland or hiking. Churches and a cultural event held almost every year are also among the local highlights.

Betliar Manor House and Its Collections

Betliar Manor House originated as a Gothic fortified manor that initially served as an outpost fortification of Krásna Hôrka Castle. Its history can also be explored through its collections: the Egyptology exhibition includes the mummy of a priest, the mummy of a child and grave finds such as amulets and fragments dating from the 7th century BC to the 1st century AD.

The renewed Egyptology exhibition is divided into three themed sections: the Andrássy family as collectors and travellers, Ancient Egypt, and the rediscovery of Egyptian art in the so-called “Egypt revival”. The manor house’s central library preserves more than 14,000 volumes from the 15th to the 19th century in six languages. Another exhibition presents exotic taxidermy trophies from Africa and Asia, displayed in the manor house’s winter garden.

After the Second World War, the manor house’s original furnishings were preserved. A museum was subsequently established there, with an exhibition on the domestic culture of the nobility in the 18th and 19th centuries. These offer different ways to explore the site: Egyptian collection pieces, historic books and the domestic culture of the nobility.

Churches and Cultural Event

The two churches also differ in their period of construction and design. The Roman Catholic Church of Saint Elizabeth the Widow dates from the first half of the 14th century and features notable vaults and an interesting interior. The Evangelical church was built in 1786; its features include late Baroque vaults and an altar with columns dating from 1838.

Hubertova jazda is a major cultural event in Betliar. It takes place almost every year and is dedicated to the patron saint of hunters and riders. If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the event dates before travelling.

Historic Park and Game Reserve

The historic park around the manor house is a 57-hectare English-style park listed in the Register of Historic Gardens of the World. An artificial water system channels water from the Betliar stream into three lakes, three fountains and the so-called Great Waterfall. The park also contains a Masonic pavilion, a Chinese pavilion, a Japanese bridge, the Hermes fountain and a pond with water lilies.

The Betliar game reserve offers a different natural setting. Established in 1967 within the municipality’s cadastral area, it now covers 1,696 hectares and is used mainly within Betliar’s cadastral area to breed fallow deer, mouflon and red deer. Visitors can watch herds of game grazing freely in the forest meadows. The park and game reserve cater to different interests: historic garden design on the one hand, wildlife watching on the other.

Hiking Trails and Getting Your Bearings

Yellow-marked hiking trail No. 8749 passes through Betliar. It starts at the former Betliar railway station, goes over the Volovec saddle and joins hiking trail No. 2827. The also yellow-marked route from Betliar to Skalisko is about 8 kilometres long; walking it takes approximately 3.5 hours. In good weather, the ascent offers views of the High Tatras panorama and other well-known peaks of the Slovak Ore Mountains. The stated walking time is a guide: individual times may vary, and you should check trail conditions before setting out.

For a broader overview of local sights, there is the “Sights of the Municipality of Betliar” educational trail. This easy route has 18 stops and leads to the homes of prominent figures, a park in the village centre, a war memorial in the local cemetery, the Evangelical rectory and the fire station.

Getting There by Bus and Road

Road I/67 passes through Betliar’s cadastral area between Rožňava and Dobšiná. It forms part of an important tourist transit route connecting Poland, Poprad, Vernár, Dobšiná, Rožňava, Kráľ and Hungary. Bus services run along I/67; stops are located in the southern part of the village centre and at the junction with the road to Nižná Maša. From the bus stop in Betliar, the manor house grounds are a 15-to-20-minute walk northeast along Krivý Potok. Check the bus timetable when planning your trip and, if you are travelling for an event, check its dates too.

Discover more destinations: Krásnohorské Podhradie, Rožňava, Vlachovo, Brzotín, Jovice, Dedinky, Čierna Lehota, Rejdová

Back to the main travel overview: Rožňava.