For more than 10 years, OZ Terra Montanae has been offering experiences and active relaxation for "pilgrims" who love nature, history and the beauty of the villages of central Slovakia through the Barbora Route project.
On April 4, 2023, friends, supporters, and supporters of the Barbora Route met at the 10th Assembly of the OZ Terra Montanae to evaluate the activities of the civic association in 2022 and present the plan of activities for 2023. According to the chairman of the civic association, Roman Neradný, the year 2022 was relatively successful. Throughout the 2022 season, the civic association members modified and marked individual sections of Barborská cesta with new signs. On the occasion of World Tourism Day on October 1, 2022, they unveiled new welcome information elements on Barbora Route - the statues of St. Barbara. These statues found their place in the cities of Banská Bystrica, Kremnica, Banská Štiavnica and Zvolen. In Banská Bystrica, the statue is located in a park, near the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, and is a new starting point on the Barborská cesta. The second statue is located in Kremnica in the park in front of the city walls, near the entrance gate of the Barbican. In Banská Štiavnica, visitors to the city can take a photo with the statue in the area of the Restaurant on the hill with the beautiful background of the Banská Štiavnica Calvary. The last of the four statues is located at the entrance to the Square of the Slovak National Uprising in Zvolen.
Photo source: OZ Terra Montanae
The end of the year of the civic association ended with the 1st St. Barbora´s punch, which was offered by the members of the civic association on the Square of the Slovak National Uprising in Banská Bystrica. The proceeds from the sale of the punch will be used by the civic association in 2023 for the activities of the Barbora Route project.
Photo source: OZ Terra Montanae
From the words of the chairman of the civic association Terra Montanae, Roman Neredný, it is clear that the vision, goals, activities of the civic association, as well as the Barbora Route project are clear for the future, but there is a lack of funding sources and a strong partner with the background. One of the biggest goals and at the same time opportunities not only for the Barbora Route but also for the region of central Slovakia itself in the field of tourism is the entry of the Barborská cesta into the list of European cultural routes. The registration process takes at least 3 years, but the advantage is the possibility of drawing funds from European structural and investment funds. In this direction, the civic association communicates with the European Federation of Mining Routs St. Barbora, who has already started the process of registration in the list of European Cultural Routes. It should be added here that every organisation that joins the European Federation of Mining Roads St. Barbora entered and is applying for entry into the list of European Cultural Routes has a partner behind her in the form of a ministry, municipality, university, or church, which the Barbory Route lacks so far. Therefore, the leadership of the civil association appeals, in particular, to the leadership of the self-governing region of Banská Bystrica to support this effort. We keep our fingers crossed for the civic association. GOOD GOD!
