Nature and countryside conservation – Muránska planina (Muránska plateau) National Park

500 Sk commemorative silver coin

Muránska Planina National Park is located on the dividing line between Central and Eastern Slovakia, in the west part of Slovenské Rudohorie Mountain Chain. It was declared in 1997 on an area of 20,318 hectares. The Park is an extraordinary valuable natural landscape, relatively little affected by civilisation.

On its territory, four geomorphologic units meet together: Veporské Vrchy Mountain, Spiš-Gemer Carst, Stolické Vrchy Mountain, and Horehronské Podolie Valley. As a result, both carst and non-carst formations are very diverse. Under the influence of water, deep valleys developed in limestone and dolomites, such as impressive Javorníková Dolina Valley with several waterfalls. Many caves, sinking and reemerging streams, and external carst formations are to be found in the Park. The local flora is rich, with abundant alpine and sub-alpine species. The most characteristic plant is Lykovec muránsky (Daphne arbuscula), an endemit of the Muránska Planina Plateau that does not grow in any other place in the world. Also fauna is represented in abundance. The half-wild breeding of Muran Norik horses at Veľká Lúka is typical.