Romanesque church in Ludrova (Photo: L. Holikova) Frescoes in Poniky (Photo: L. Holikova) Ingrid Bergman by Andy Warhol. For collection of his pictures exhibited in Medzilaborce click on www.warhol.sk Excursion participants in the wooden Articular Church in Hronsek Bardejov Spa Reconstruction of a Celtic settlement in Havranok (just a small part of it), Slovakia

From Maximus I learned self-government, and not to be led aside by anything; and cheerfulness in all circumstances, as well as in illness; and a just admixture in the moral character of sweetness and dignity, and to do what was set before me...

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Note: 172 A.D. - The Roman legions under the leadership of Marcus Aurelius left Carnuntum and occupied southern Slovakia. They penetrated gradually to the northern valleys. In a camp somewhere in the southern part of the Hron River basin, the Emperor wrote the first chapter of his famous book "The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius".

From the very beginning, we have been providing scientific excursion participants with an opportunity to supplement and enrich the main scientific dimension of the programme by visits to the most exciting Slovak cultural sites. Our to - date experience is that excursion participants welcome and appreciate "sendwiching" scientific programme with cultural aspects. Of course, whether cultural monuments are included in the package or individually tailored excursions itineraries entirely depends on the participants' choice.

Cultural themes that can be integrated in the programme are:

• Celtic and Roman historic cultural sites
• Old Slavonic monuments dating back to the Great Moravian Empire (9^th century) as a melting pot of Byzantine, Western and original Slavonic traditions
• Romanesque architecture and art (churches, frescoes ...)
• Gothic art (churches, frescoes, paintings, wood-carvings - the world's tallest wooden altar by Master Paul from Levoca)
• Folk architecture (specialities such as tufa-carved dwellings, wine cellars etc.)
• Medieval castles (e.g. the Spis Castle - the largest European castle among them) built as the line defence against Tartars and Ottomans)
• Orthodox, Greek-catholic and Protestant (articular) wooden churches
• Renaissance architecture (castles, manor houses, mansions), Baroque art
• Slovak modern fine arts (incl. Andy Warhol, son of Slovak immigrants, inventor of the American pop-art, whose museum with a large collection of works can be seen in Medzilaborce)

Notes:

• Read a brief illustrated summary of the Slovak history
• For a comprehensive information on Slovak museums, galleries, cultural sights etc. we recommend www.muzeum.sk

Numerous world-renowned Slovak balneological and thermal spas offer excursion participants an excellent opportunity to relax after demanding daily programmes. Among the most popular procedures are bathing in a unique steam cave, open air thermal pools, carbonic baths etc. Slovak spas are bound to the occurrence of mineral springs along tectonic faults intersecting the whole Slovak territory.

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