UNESCO World Heritage – Vlkolínec

200 Sk commemorative silver coin

In 1972, the General Conference of UNESCO adopted the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in line with its aim to safeguard the cultural assets of the mankind. According to the Convention, the world’s most important sites and monuments, which fit the prescribed criteria, are inscribed on the World Heritage List. At present, the List includes five Slovak sites, including Vlkolínec, Folk Architecture Reserve.

The village of Vlkolínec is situated in northern Slovakia, on the eastern slopes of the Veľká Fatra Mountains, and is a part of the town of Ružomberok. It consists of a collection of unusually well preserved hand-hewn timber houses typical of the mountainous and hilly surroundings. The settlement is quite unique and numbers 45 authentic homesteads with many archaic constructional elements. Two special buildings stand-out among the houses: the timber bell-tower from 1770, and the well from 1860.