Kysuce
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Kysuce is the north-western-most protected landscape area in Central Slovakia.
Understand
Historically one of the poorer regions, it's recovering thanks to car manufacturing, skiing and cross-country possibilities.
The oldest known settlement in the Kysuce region is Kysucké Nové Mesto, which was first mentioned in 1321 as a toll-collecting place, which was part of a trade route between Žilina and Těšín via Jablunkov Pass, but otherwise the region was relatively uninhabited.
Kysuce region began to be settled in the 16th and 17th centuries at the time of Valach colonization. The new inhabitants were mostly Slovaks, from foreign settlers Rusyns, Poles and Romanians, but also Czechs and Germans. Many towns were established first around this time, for example Čadca in 1572. Many people live in small villages or lone cottages in the mountains (which are called kopanice).
Get in
From Slovakia, a detour from Žilina or Bytča is the most common access point.
Roads from Czech Republic (Ostrava, Frýdek-Místek) or Poland (Bielsko-Biala) arrive here.
Get around
Today main towns in the Kysuce region are , and .
See
Museum of Kysuce villageAn open-air museum with unique (operational) narrow-gauge forest railway.
Korňanský ropný prameňNatural headspring of crude oil, accompanied with irregular headspring of methane.
Slovenský Orloj
Do
Visit protected areas in the surroundings:
- Horná Orava
- Javorníky
- Beskydy in the Czech Republic
- Zywiecki park Krajobrazowy in Poland
Skiing:
Veľká RačaA very well equipped ski center, also providing routes for cross-country skiing. In the summer, easy (2-hr) hiking trails are availabe.