Lesser Fatra
Encyclopedia
Lesser Fatra is a mountain range
in the Western Carpathians
in the north-west of Central Slovakia
. In the geomorphological system, it is a part of the Fatra-Tatra Area
.
It is situated approximately between the cities of Nitrianske Pravno
, Strečno
, Martin
and Zázrivá
. Turčianska kotlina (Turiec Basin) and the Oravská vrchovina Mts. are situated to the west of the range, and Žilinská kotlina (Žilina Basin) and the Kysucká vrchovina Mts. is located to the east.
Malá Fatra consists of two subdivisions separated by the Váh
river near Strečno
:
The highest peak is Veľký Kriváň
at 1,709 m AMSL in Krivánska Malá Fatra.
Malá Fatra is basically one big karst
object. It is made up of crystalline rocks and complexes of Mesozoic
strongly folded rocks.
The main peaks of Lúčanská Malá Fatra are Veľká Lúka (1,475 m), Kľak (1,351 m) and Minčol (1,364). The main peaks of the Krivánska Malá Fatra are Veľký Rozsutec
(1,610 m), Malý Rozsutec (1,343 m), Veľký Kriváň (1,709 m) and Malý Kriváň (1,671 m).
The 12 km long pass between Krivánska Malá Fatra and Lúčanská Malá Fatra separated by the Váh is called Strečnianska tiesňava (Strečno Pass), located below the ruins of the famous Strečno Castle
. The Dierový potok stream created a complex of canyons, waterfalls and cascades in that area. Šútovo
Waterfall (Šútovský vodopád ) is the highest waterfall in Malá Fatra and has a vertical drop of 38 m.
Popular centres for winter sports are Vrátna dolina
and Štefanová. Other tourism centres are the villages of Terchová
, where the Slovak national hero Juraj Jánošík
was born and Zázrivá
, where the traditional Slovak sheep cheese delicacy known as korbáčiky
is made. One of the most popular ski areas in Slovakia outside the Tatras is the Martinské hole resort situated between the Veľká lúka Mountain and the town of Martin
.
Krivánska Malá Fatra is protected by the Malá Fatra National Park.
In addition, Malá Fatra includes the following small-scale protection areas:
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in the Western Carpathians
Western Carpathians
The Western Carpathians are a mountain range and geomorphological province that forms the western part of the Carpathian Mountains.The mountain belt stretches from the Low Beskids range of the Eastern Carpathians along the border of Poland with Slovakia toward the Moravian region of the Czech...
in the north-west of Central Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. In the geomorphological system, it is a part of the Fatra-Tatra Area
Fatra-Tatra Area
The Fatra-Tatra Area or the Tatra-Fatra Belt of core mountains is a part of the Inner Western Carpathians, a subprovince of the Western Carpathians. Most of the area lies in Slovakia with small parts reaching into Austria and Poland...
.
It is situated approximately between the cities of Nitrianske Pravno
Nitrianske Pravno
Nitrianske Pravno is a village and municipality in Prievidza District in the Trenčín Region of western Slovakia.-History:...
, Strečno
Strecno
Strečno is a village and municipality in the Žilina District in the Žilina Region in North Slovakia. It is located by the Váh River in the Malá Fatra Mts...
, Martin
Martin, Slovakia
Martin is a city in northern Slovakia, situated on the Turiec river, between the Malá Fatra and Veľká Fatra mountains, near the city of Žilina. The population numbers approximately 58,000, which makes it the eighth largest city in Slovakia...
and Zázrivá
Zázrivá
Zázrivá is a village and municipality in Dolný Kubín District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia. It is located in the Orava region, around 35 km from Žilina and 20 km from Dolný KubínIt was first mentioned in 1555....
. Turčianska kotlina (Turiec Basin) and the Oravská vrchovina Mts. are situated to the west of the range, and Žilinská kotlina (Žilina Basin) and the Kysucká vrchovina Mts. is located to the east.
Malá Fatra consists of two subdivisions separated by the Váh
Váh
The Váh is the longest river in entire Slovakia. A left tributary of the Danube river, the Váh is 406 km long, including its Čierny Váh branch...
river near Strečno
Strecno
Strečno is a village and municipality in the Žilina District in the Žilina Region in North Slovakia. It is located by the Váh River in the Malá Fatra Mts...
:
- Lúčanská Malá Fatra
- Krivánska Malá Fatra
The highest peak is Veľký Kriváň
Veľký Kriváň
- External links :*...
at 1,709 m AMSL in Krivánska Malá Fatra.
Malá Fatra is basically one big karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
object. It is made up of crystalline rocks and complexes of Mesozoic
Mesozoic
The Mesozoic era is an interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. It is often referred to as the age of reptiles because reptiles, namely dinosaurs, were the dominant terrestrial and marine vertebrates of the time...
strongly folded rocks.
The main peaks of Lúčanská Malá Fatra are Veľká Lúka (1,475 m), Kľak (1,351 m) and Minčol (1,364). The main peaks of the Krivánska Malá Fatra are Veľký Rozsutec
Velký Rozsutec
Veľký Rozsutec is a mountain situated in the Malá Fatra mountain range in the Žilina Region, Slovakia. The peak is situated in the north part of Malá Fatra called Krivánska Malá Fatra and is part of the Malá Fatra National Park and Rozsutec National Nature Reserve .Veľký Rozsutec and the...
(1,610 m), Malý Rozsutec (1,343 m), Veľký Kriváň (1,709 m) and Malý Kriváň (1,671 m).
The 12 km long pass between Krivánska Malá Fatra and Lúčanská Malá Fatra separated by the Váh is called Strečnianska tiesňava (Strečno Pass), located below the ruins of the famous Strečno Castle
Strecno Castle
The Strečno Castle is a Gothic castle in northern Slovakia, 7 km east of Žilina.-External links:* *...
. The Dierový potok stream created a complex of canyons, waterfalls and cascades in that area. Šútovo
Šútovo
Šútovo is a village and municipality in Martin District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 460 metres and covers an area of 16.639 km². It has a population of about 505 people.-External links:...
Waterfall (Šútovský vodopád ) is the highest waterfall in Malá Fatra and has a vertical drop of 38 m.
Popular centres for winter sports are Vrátna dolina
Vrátna dolina
thumb|right|Vrátna dolina as seen from the Poludňový Grúň mountainVrátna dolina or Vrátna Valley is a valley in the Malá Fatra mountain range in Slovakia. It is situated 3 kilometers from the village of Terchová in the Žilina Region. Vrátna dolina covers an area of approximately 36 km²...
and Štefanová. Other tourism centres are the villages of Terchová
Terchová
Terchová is a large village and municipality in the Malá Fatra mountains in the Žilina District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia.-History:...
, where the Slovak national hero Juraj Jánošík
Juraj Jánošík
Juraj Jánošík was a famous Slovak Carpathian Highwayman....
was born and Zázrivá
Zázrivá
Zázrivá is a village and municipality in Dolný Kubín District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia. It is located in the Orava region, around 35 km from Žilina and 20 km from Dolný KubínIt was first mentioned in 1555....
, where the traditional Slovak sheep cheese delicacy known as korbáčiky
Korbáciky
Korbáčiky is a type of string cheese from the Orava region of Slovakia. It is made from steamed cheese interwoven into fine braids. The name roughly translates to "little whip" which refers to the pattern woven onto the strings. The common flavors include the plain salty, smoked and garlic....
is made. One of the most popular ski areas in Slovakia outside the Tatras is the Martinské hole resort situated between the Veľká lúka Mountain and the town of Martin
Martin, Slovakia
Martin is a city in northern Slovakia, situated on the Turiec river, between the Malá Fatra and Veľká Fatra mountains, near the city of Žilina. The population numbers approximately 58,000, which makes it the eighth largest city in Slovakia...
.
Krivánska Malá Fatra is protected by the Malá Fatra National Park.
In addition, Malá Fatra includes the following small-scale protection areas:
- national nature reserves: Chleb, Minčol, Krivé, Šútovská dolina, Sokolec, SuchýSuchýSuchý is a village and municipality in Blansko District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 393 ....
, Starý hrad, Prípor, Šíp, Šrámková, Rozsutec, Tiesňavy, Veľká Bránica, Kľačianska Magura - nature reserves: Dubovské lúky, Goľove mláky, Hajasová, Hrabinka, Hrádok, Kraľoviansky meander, Močiar, Paráč, Pod Rígľom, Veľká Lučivná
- natural monuments: Bôrická mláka, Domašínsky meander, Krasniansky luh, Šútovská epigenéza
- protected site: Hate