Slovakia
After exploring Poland in the previous update, today we'll be continuing our trip through central Europe and visiting Poland's southern neighbor - Slovakia. Officially known as the Slovak Republic, Slovakia is a landlocked country of 5.4 million, and is also bordered by the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, and Ukraine. Settled by Slavic peoples in the 6th century AD, the region was conquered by Magyars in the early 10th century and was generally under Hungarian rule until 1918, when it became part of Czechoslovakia. It was taken by the Soviets in 1945 and again made part of Czechoslovakia, which came under Communist rule from 1948 to 1988. In 1989, government leaders reached an agreement to separate the country into two fully independent republics - and the Republic of Slovakia came into existence on January 1, 1993. Slovakia is home to some of central Europe's most beautiful landscapes - the High Tatras make up the mountainous northern region of the country and are a popular tourist destination, as is its historical capital city of Bratislava, located on the Danube River. Although Slovakia may be overlooked by its neighbors to some tourists, there's still plenty of beautiful sights to see and take in, so let's see what this country has to offer in today's update.
Our journey across Slovakia begins in the capital city of Bratislava. With its compact old town, charming city streets, and outdoor cafe culture, its truly a wonderful place to visit. The historic Bratislava Castle is the city's main castle and has loomed high over the old city and the Danube River since the 9th century.
Another one of Bratislava's most famous landmarks is the Slavin Monument. This memorial monument designed by Ján Svetlík and is the burial ground of thousands of Soviet Army soldiers who fell during World War II while taking over the city in April 1945 from the occupying German Wehrmacht units and the remaining Slovak troops who supported the Tiso government. It is situated on a hill amidst a rich villa quarter of the capital and embassy residences close to the center of Bratislava and was constructed between 1957 and 1960 on the site of a field cemetery. The monument opened officially on April 3, 1960 on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the city's liberation, and in 1961 it was declared a National Cultural Monument.
Another one of the country's most well known landmarks can be found in the centrally located city of Banská Bystrica - the Slovak National Uprising Memorial. This monument celebrates Slovakia's independence from Czechoslovakia and overlooks the heart of the city on a small hill.
Slovakia is also noted for the many old castles that dot its countryside and towns. Here we see one of the country's most iconic castles - the impressive Oravský Hrad, located in the northern region of the country just outside the foothills of the beautiful High Tatra mountains. It's also one of Slovakia's most historic landmarks, dating from the 1241 Tartar invasion, and was reconstructed a number of times in the Renaissance and Neo-Gothic styles since.
After exploring a few of Slovakia's cities and landmarks, we venture further north to explore some of the country's most amazing natural sights. The High Tatras are a mountain range that span the border between Poland and Slovakia. This region attracts hikers in the summer and skiers in the winter - and is rapidly increasing in popularity. They're also home to many endangered and rare animals such as the Tatra chamois and European suslik. Here we see a typical scene overlooking the heart of the mountains in Tatra National Park, Slovakia - and these vast forests seem to stretch on forever.
Our last sight is a view of the impressive High Tatras from above - one of central Europe's most breathtaking natural landscapes.
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-korver
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