Pocuvadlo Lake

About

The Pocuvadlo Lake surface mirrors the Sitno Hill since the 18th century. Pocuvadlo is the largest lake in Stiavnica´s water system and one of the most visited natural sites in general. It is popular for romantic walks in the nature, sailing, water biking, swimming in summer and little animal farm loved by children. Pocuvadlo is also the starting point for climbing the mythical Sitno Hill. The legend says, that inside the Sitno hill there are mighty Slovak knights sleeping for thousands of years. When Slovaks got in real trouble, knights will wake up. In fact, Sitno hill was inhabited already in prehistoric times, and a stone castle stands here since the 13th century. The castle played an important role in the provincial defence system and defeated Turkish troops more times. Preserved ruins of the castle are open for visitors; moreover at the very top of the hill you can visit a stone watchtower, supposedly the first in Europe. The landscape around is a mosaic of forests, meadows and pastures with many rare plants and animals. The cliffs at the top of the hill offer a panoramic view, under good visibility the Slovak Tatra and the Hungarian Matra Mountains can be seen.