High Tatras, Slovakia
The High Tatras (Vysoké Tatry in Slovakia and Tatry Wysokie in Poland) are a mountain range along the border of northern Slovakia in the Prešov region and southern Poland in the Małopolska province. The High Tatras should not be confused with the Low Tatras which are located south of the High Tatras in Slovakia.
The High Tatras occupy an area of 303 square miles, of which about 236 square miles (77.7%) lie within Slovakia and about 68 square miles (22.3%) within Poland.
The High Tatras' length, measured in a straight line from the eastern foothills of the Kobylí vrch at 3638 feet to the south western foot of Ostrý vrch at 3700 feet, is 35 miles and strictly along the main ridge, 50 miles. The range is only 12 miles wide. The main ridge of the High Tatras runs from the Slovakian villages of Huty at the western end to the village of Ždiar at the eastern end.
The High Tatras, having 29 peaks over 8,200 feet are, with the Southern Carpathians, the only mountain range with an alpine character and habitats in the entire 750 mile length of the Carpathian Mountains system.
The 15 highest peaks of the High Tatras are all located in Slovakia with the highest peaks being Gerlachovský štít at 8711 feet, Gerlachovská veža at 8668 feet and Lomnický štít at 8638 feet. Other notable peaks include Kriváň and Rysy. Multiple surveys have ranked Kriváň (8168 feet) as Slovakia's most beautiful peak and it has also been a major symbol in Slovakian ethnic and national activism for the past 2 centuries. A country-wide vote in 2005 selected it to be one of the images on Slovakia's euro coins. Rysy lies on the border between Poland and Slovakia. It has 3 summits: the middle at 8,212 feet, the north western at 8,199 feet and the south eastern at 8,114 feet. The north western summit is the highest point in Poland whilst the other 2 summits are in Slovakia. Since the accession of Poland and Slovakia to the Schengen Agreement in 2007, the border between the countries may be easily crossed at this point.
Two thirds of the High Tatras are covered with coniferous and deciduous forests. Alpine meadows, rocky terrain and habitats and extensively used pastures in the foothills occur in the non-forested areas.
The High Tatras are one of the most popular places in Slovakia with over 5 million people visiting each year to walk, climb, cycle, ski or snowboard. There are around 375 miles of hiking trails, chairlifts and cable cars, offering breathtaking views of alpine scenery.
The High Tatras are protected by law by the establishment of the Tatra National Park, Slovakia (Tatranský národný park) and the Tatra National Park, Poland (Tatrzański Park Narodowy), the first European cross-border national park. In 1992 the Polish and Slovakian national parks were jointly designated a trans-boundary Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Tatra National Park, Slovakia (Tatranský národný park) is one of the 9 national parks in Slovakia. It protects the Slovakian areas of the High Tatras mountain range in the Eastern Tatras (Východné Tatry) and areas of the Western Tatras (Západné Tatry). The western part of Tatra National Park is situated in the Žilina region and the eastern part in the Prešov region. Tatra National Park covers an area of 284.9 square miles and the surrounding buffer zone covers an area of 118.5 square miles. The highest peak in Slovakia, Gerlachovský štít at 8711 feet, is located within Tatra National Park. Tatra National Park was established in January 1949 and it is the oldest national park in Slovakia. In 1987, a section of the Western Tatras was added to the national park. Since 2004, the national park has been included in the Natura 2000 ecological network, the network of nature protection areas within the European Union.
Date: 29th May 2017
Location: High Tatras, Slovakia
The High Tatras occupy an area of 303 square miles, of which about 236 square miles (77.7%) lie within Slovakia and about 68 square miles (22.3%) within Poland.
The High Tatras' length, measured in a straight line from the eastern foothills of the Kobylí vrch at 3638 feet to the south western foot of Ostrý vrch at 3700 feet, is 35 miles and strictly along the main ridge, 50 miles. The range is only 12 miles wide. The main ridge of the High Tatras runs from the Slovakian villages of Huty at the western end to the village of Ždiar at the eastern end.
The High Tatras, having 29 peaks over 8,200 feet are, with the Southern Carpathians, the only mountain range with an alpine character and habitats in the entire 750 mile length of the Carpathian Mountains system.
The 15 highest peaks of the High Tatras are all located in Slovakia with the highest peaks being Gerlachovský štít at 8711 feet, Gerlachovská veža at 8668 feet and Lomnický štít at 8638 feet. Other notable peaks include Kriváň and Rysy. Multiple surveys have ranked Kriváň (8168 feet) as Slovakia's most beautiful peak and it has also been a major symbol in Slovakian ethnic and national activism for the past 2 centuries. A country-wide vote in 2005 selected it to be one of the images on Slovakia's euro coins. Rysy lies on the border between Poland and Slovakia. It has 3 summits: the middle at 8,212 feet, the north western at 8,199 feet and the south eastern at 8,114 feet. The north western summit is the highest point in Poland whilst the other 2 summits are in Slovakia. Since the accession of Poland and Slovakia to the Schengen Agreement in 2007, the border between the countries may be easily crossed at this point.
Two thirds of the High Tatras are covered with coniferous and deciduous forests. Alpine meadows, rocky terrain and habitats and extensively used pastures in the foothills occur in the non-forested areas.
The High Tatras are one of the most popular places in Slovakia with over 5 million people visiting each year to walk, climb, cycle, ski or snowboard. There are around 375 miles of hiking trails, chairlifts and cable cars, offering breathtaking views of alpine scenery.
The High Tatras are protected by law by the establishment of the Tatra National Park, Slovakia (Tatranský národný park) and the Tatra National Park, Poland (Tatrzański Park Narodowy), the first European cross-border national park. In 1992 the Polish and Slovakian national parks were jointly designated a trans-boundary Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Tatra National Park, Slovakia (Tatranský národný park) is one of the 9 national parks in Slovakia. It protects the Slovakian areas of the High Tatras mountain range in the Eastern Tatras (Východné Tatry) and areas of the Western Tatras (Západné Tatry). The western part of Tatra National Park is situated in the Žilina region and the eastern part in the Prešov region. Tatra National Park covers an area of 284.9 square miles and the surrounding buffer zone covers an area of 118.5 square miles. The highest peak in Slovakia, Gerlachovský štít at 8711 feet, is located within Tatra National Park. Tatra National Park was established in January 1949 and it is the oldest national park in Slovakia. In 1987, a section of the Western Tatras was added to the national park. Since 2004, the national park has been included in the Natura 2000 ecological network, the network of nature protection areas within the European Union.
Date: 29th May 2017
Location: High Tatras, Slovakia
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Also in: Slovakia
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