Benches above Socovce

Benches above Socovce. The Stráža hill rises above the village of Socovce. On its top we can find several benches, which will surely please lovers of panoramic views. Despite its relatively low altitude of 534 metres above sea level, Stráža Hill is rightly described as one of the dominants of Turiec. It offers a beautiful view of the upper and lower Turiec, the Little and the Great Fatra. The benches can be easily reached directly from Socovce. We pass by the old church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which stands on a hill above the village. The church is one of the oldest in Turiec. According to a document from 1258, it was founded by Budimir of Diviaki, but it probably stood as early as 1240. The south aisle was added at the beginning of the sixteenth century. The southern narthex is from the eighteenth century. The late Baroque high altar also dates from this century. It is dominated by a late Gothic statue of the Virgin Mary from around 1500. The hill of Stráž was important mainly because of its proximity to the branch of the Amber Way. A large fortified hillfort from the Hallstatt and Latin periods was situated on its summit. The fortress consisted of up to 13 courtyards, with the church standing on the eleventh. Even today, a relatively well-preserved system of artificial embankments is visible on the hill, which were part of the massive fortification of the individual courtyards. Looking east from the hill, we can see the scenery of fields and meadows bordered by Veľká Fatra with the iconic rocky hills of Tlsta, Ostra and Drieňko. If we turn our attention to the west, we look at the villages, fields and meadows lying below the Lúčanská Mala Fatra mountain range. In the north, the horizon is closed by the Krivánska Mala Fatra. In the foreground we look at the Kláštorské meadows national nature reserve with the snaking river Turiec, which creates many meanders on this stretch. And in the south we can see the fields, meadows and groves of the Turčianska basin stretching into the distance. There are four benches in this place. One simple, next to it two benches with a table in the middle. These three benches are without backs, i.e. double-sided. This is an advantage because from them you can watch the sun rising behind Veľká Fatra in the morning and setting behind Malá Fatra in the evening. The fourth bench is a symbol of recycling. It is made of two pallets and faces east.