Trstín lies at the eastern foot of the Little Carpathians and grew up along a historic trade route through the mountains from Bohemia to Hungary. Its history encompasses sacred sites and buildings from different periods. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing the annual pilgrimage date from seasonally changing trail conditions and enduring historical landmarks.

Hájiček and the pilgrimage date

The brick Church of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows at Hájiček was built around the middle of the 13th century and is part of the Hájiček pilgrimage site. It lies outside the built-up area. A pilgrimage in honour of the Feast of the Assumption of Mary takes place there every year on the Sunday around 15 August; the exact date varies from year to year. If the pilgrimage is the reason for your trip, check the date for the relevant year rather than treating 15 August as a fixed event date.

Churches and the Calvary

The parish Church of St Peter and St Paul in Trstín is a different building: it was built in the mid-18th century and houses a crypt belonging to the Pongrác and Motešický families, who are named as patrons of the church. The Trstínska kalvária is located northeast of Trstín, at the foot of the Little Carpathians. Fourteen Stations of the Cross, consisting of steles with reliefs, are arranged in a circle around a six-part Crucifixion group. The protected site is one of the few Calvaries in Slovakia built between the two world wars. The parish church and the Calvary represent different forms of sacred architecture and commemorative culture.

Renaissance manor house and Baroque château

The Renaissance manor house in Trstín is a fortified residence that served economic and defensive functions. Its bastions reflect its defensive role; the building is attributed to the Motešický family. A cartouche on the chimney dates its construction to 5 August 1685 and its reconstruction to 15 August 1792. The two dates therefore refer to different events. The Baroque château, built in the mid-18th century, is a separate building. Several plane trees, birches and maples have survived from the château’s former English-style park. The different dates and functions give the town’s history several clearly distinct architectural focal points.

Memorial room and industrial history

The Ambroziánum memorial room is open to the public; keys are available from the Trstín municipal office or the parish office. Arrange to collect the keys before your visit. The town’s industrial history can also be traced through a specific object: Trstín is home to an Orenstein and Koppel 7260/1915 steam locomotive. It was used on construction railways and later by sugar factories as well.

Vodná priepasť and nature trail

Vodná priepasť is located directly in the Trstín quarry. An underground lake measuring 10 metres in length and 3 metres in depth fills the bottom of its entrance fissure. The entrance was later fenced off and filled in during quarrying. Do not assume that access is unrestricted; check the access situation if you are considering visiting the site.

The Náučný chodník Hájiček nature trail comprises 1.36 kilometres of paved path or path generally designated as a trail, as well as 0.93 kilometres of unpaved path. Surface conditions may vary seasonally. When planning your visit, take both types of trail into account and check the conditions for your intended visit. The practical considerations therefore depend on your focus: for the pilgrimage, the date changes each year; for the nature trail, conditions vary seasonally.

Discover more destinations: Trnava, Veľká Paka.

Go to the main travel overview: Trnava.