AUTHOR: Andrea Nepšinská

Where: Pohorelská Maša, Nová Maša, Vaľkovňa, Zlatno, Jelšava
District: Brezno, Revúca
Time/Duration: all day

Birthday Gift

It all started with looking for a birthday gift for my mom. I wasn’t looking for an object, but an experience. There are plenty of those on the website zahoramizadolami.sk in the “Book an Experience” section. Since we’re from Horehronie, my eye was immediately drawn to one titled: “The Unknown Coburg Railway Route.” It’s a full-day experiential tour of places in Horehronie and Gemer where the Coburgs—an important princely and royal family that positively influenced local industry and trade—left their mark. I was all the more delighted when I discovered that many of these places are connected to my mother’s childhood. All that was left to do was buy the tickets and look forward to the big day.

Monuments to the House of Coburg in the Horehronie Region

After boarding the minibus in Brezno, we set off for our first destination: the Coburg Manor in Pohorelská Maša. It originally served as the estate management house and was the center of the Coburg ironworks complex. We toured the individual rooms and were pleased to hear that the building is set to be restored. The adjacent Historic Coburg Park, which is the only one of its kind in the Horehronie region, is also set to undergo restoration. Plans include planting various tree species and building a bridge. After a short walk, we found ourselves by the railroad tracks, where the Coburg family’s passenger stop once stood. We walked all the way to the Ferdinand Coburg Memorial on the main road, where a minibus picked us up.

Our next stop was nearby Nová Maša, with the ruins of Ferdinand’s ironworks. Using a diagram, we were shown how the entire complex operated. In the center stood a blast furnace for iron. In the adjacent building was a dormitory where the ironworkers used to live. It was covered with plastic sheeting because a fire had destroyed it that year. My mom, however, was interested in the building that used to be a coal and wood warehouse. She used to come here on vacation to visit her grandmother. Today, it consists of several residential units, many of which have been modernized. We also took a look at the former caretaker’s house and then moved on to the rolling mill.

We got off in front of the Evangelical church —the only one in the Upper Horehronie region. Its construction was financed by the Coburg family, who cared deeply about the spiritual well-being of their employees. From the pews, we could admire the altar, the pulpit, and the magnificent chandelier.

The last place we visited in the Horehronie region was Zlatno. Ferdinand of Coburg liked it so much here that he wished for ten of his bones to rest right here—in the heart of Slovakia’s beautiful countryside. Our path led us to Horný hámor, also known as “the pink one” because of the color of its facade. In the past, semi-finished products from Ferdinand’s ironworks were processed here.

Monuments to the House of Coburg in Gemer

Now we had a longer drive ahead of us through Muráň and Revúca all the way to Jelšava. Along the way, we passed the turnoff for Predná Hora, home to the Koháry-Coburg Manor—which today serves as a treatment center for addiction—and the Hunting Lodge, featuring an exhibition on Ferdinand Coburg.

A delicious lunch was already waiting for us at the restaurant in Jelšava, which was included in the price of the tour. Refreshed, we made our way to the local Coburg Castle. It is a three-story building in the French Classicist style from the 18th century, which is gradually being restored thanks to numerous grants. We walked through the rooms—some lacked floors, while others featured interactive exhibits, an art exhibition, period furniture, or a model of the Coburg family with which we could take photos. We were most intrigued by the glass-enclosed rooms designed for overnight stays right inside the castle, which we’ll definitely try out in the future.

An experience we still remember to this day

After returning to Brezno, we rated the day as excellent. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who wants to get a glimpse into the past in a way other than by reading books. Friendly tour guides, interesting sites, a superbly organized itinerary, informative insights, a good lunch, and comfortable transportation—all of this made the day unforgettable, and we still look back on it fondly, even though we took part in it back in 2023.

There’s no need to despair

The experience is organized every year during the summer months, and you’re sure to discover something new. For example, in the Horehronie region, three unique information panels for tourists have been added in Vaľkovňa, Zlatno, and Nová Maša. The program also includes the aforementioned Hunting Lodge in Predná Hora. You’ll also get to see the ongoing revitalization of the historic Coburg Park in Pohorelská Maša and the reconstruction of the Coburg Castle in Jelšava.

So don’t hesitate to reserve your spot. This experience is definitely worth it 🙂