Prievidza district has several of the most - in the Trenčín region it is the largest, the most populous and dominates also in terms of number of villages and towns. In this region, every tourist will find it. Whoever does romantic Bojnice Castle or the oldest zoological garden can find several hiking trails, thermal swimming pool and mining museum in Cigeľ.

In the easternmost part of the Trenčín Region lies the Prievidza district - bordered by the Banskobystrický and Žilinský Regions and the districts of Ilava, Trenčín, Bánovce nad Bebravou and Partizánske. It is situated in the Hornonitrian basin, surrounded by Strážovské vrchy, Malá Fatra, Kremnické vrchy and the Vtáčnik mountain range. The region crosses the Nitra River, which attracts many tributaries.

Of all the Slovak districts, it is the largest of the Thirteen in Prievidza. Its area is almost 960 square kilometers. The primacy in the region is both in terms of area and number of inhabitants. In four cities and 48 villages, at the end of 2015, over 135,000 people lived.

The district town of Prievidza has acquired the current industrial appearance after the Second World War, mainly thanks to the brown coal mining. Until then, it was a craft town at the crossroads of business and postal roads. Today we find several monuments in Prievidza that remind us of its interesting past. Attention is paid to churches, sculptures, as well as to busy depots and townhouses from 18th - 19th centuries, which are situated on the Square of Freedom and Hviezdoslavova Street. You can also get to know the history of the city and the region between the walls of the Upper Town Museum managed by the Trenčín County. There are also two important cultural institutions in the Mining District - the Hornonitrian Library and the Regional Cultural Center.

Only a short walk from Prievidza is Bojnice, the town is famous not only for the charming castle, but also for the zoo or the Museum of the Prehistoric. There is also one of the three regional hospitals in Bojnice. Even the one who wants to use healing thermal water in this city will not be idle. The local baths are known for their beneficial effects in particular on the locomotive system.

The upper Nitra is dominated by the industry, but the towns there are not just on it. In Novákoch, for example, the National Water Polo Center has been operating since 2006. In Handlová you can also find houses of the Holy Catherine from the 14th century.

Not only the towns, but also the small villages in the district of Prievidza know how to engage. In the village of Chalmová you can visit the thermal swimming pool, five kilometers from Prievidza you have the opportunity to look under the ground. The open-air tour of the Minsk open-air museum begins on the surface, the mining train goes on to the brown coal mine, and a piece of space goes on foot. Those who prefer to stay in the fresh air can visit the ski resorts of Remata, Poruba or Fačkovské sedlo during the winter. In summer, the water reservoir Nitrianske Rudno comes back.

Author: baš

Photo by Lukáš Koščelniak