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Revision as of 20:55, 9 August 2006 by Tankred (talk | contribs) (name section added, history expanded, category)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Špania Dolina is a municipality in central Slovakia, near the city of Banská Bystrica. Although its permanent population does not exceed 200 people, a picturesque historic village, situated 728 m above the sea level and surrounded by the Low Tatra and Greater Fatra mountains, became a popular recreation center.
Name
The ancient Latin name is Valis Dominorum (meaning "Lord’s Valley"). The first part of the Slovak name ("Špania") is derived from another Latin word for "lord": spanatus. The second part ("Dolina") means "valley" in Slovak. The old German name of the village was Herrengrundt and it has been used for centuries by Carpathian Germans living in the area.
History
The prehistoric mining tools excavated in the territory of Špania Dolina are dated as early as 2000-1700 BC. Copper from Špania Dolina was also identified in bronze artifacts from the Balkans and the Middle East. It indicates that the local mines were part of an extensive network of trade routes during the Bronze Age. However, the first written reference to the village itself appeared only in 1254. Abundant deposits of copper and silver were exploited first by miners from Banská Bystrica and since 1494 by one of the first multinational corporations, founded by the affluent Fugger and Thurzo families. The rich region attracted many foreign visitors. The House of Fugger funded a laboratory of the famous alchemist Paracelsus there. The prominent French thinker Montesquieu visited and described the copper mines in Špania Dolina upon the encouragement of Isaac Newton. The ancient tradition of making bobbin laces lead to the establishment of a bobbin laces craft school in 1883. The copper mines were closed down in 1888 and the economy of the village is now based on tourism.
Landmarks
Covered stairway leads to a fortified church, built in the Gothic and Renaissance styles. Wooden miners' houses, now reconstructed, were originally built in the 17th and 18th centuries. The so-called "Knocker" from the 16th century served as a special bell tower for miners. Ancient shafts and other technical monuments are scattered in the nearby forests. Špania Dolina is also a hub of hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing trails.
