Havránok

Havránok is a significant archaeological site and open-air museum rising above the dam wall of the Liptovská Mara reservoir. It lies within the cadastral territory of Liptovská Sielnica, two kilometers south of the village of Bobrovník in the Liptovský Mikuláš district, on the eastern foot of the Úložisko hill. Its position above the lake surface makes for an impressive destination.

Here archaeologists discovered a Celtic fortified settlement of the Kotínov tribe with a druidic sanctuary from the 1st century BC. They uncovered a sacrificial shaft with an altar and votive offerings, stone paths with colonnades, and Celtic imitations of ancient coins. In the 12th to 15th centuries a Slavic settlement stood here with a wooden manorial stronghold, fortified with palisades and a moat, later joined by a stone church.

Reconstructed structures — the original fortification with stone ramparts, wooden palisades and an entrance gate, a log-built manor, sacrificial sites, tools and artifacts — today form an open-air archaeological museum. Since 1967, Havránok has been a national cultural monument. A walk around the site is like a journey through time across the La Tène period and the High Middle Ages, with a magnificent view of Liptovská Mara's waters as a bonus.

The site can be reached via a red-marked trail from Bobrovník in about 35 minutes, or from Vlachy in about 45 minutes. Havránok is an ideal destination for families, history lovers and hikers who combine sightseeing with relaxation by the water. Since Liptovská Mara offers plenty of opportunities for swimming and relaxation, it's worth choosing accommodation nearby and combining a visit to the hillfort with a lakeside holiday.