Sparks will be flying in the region of Liptov during the last weekend of August, open fire will stir the air and regular strikes of heavy forging hammers will be heard around the park of Tatrapolis. Eight artist blacksmiths from a blacksmiths guild will be literally sweating for two days to create sculptures of metal and to introduce their hard work and technical procedure of the dutiful artist smithy craft. Based on a model, they will be bending metal and creating up to 1.4-metre-high sculptures by forging and welding. “Small pieces are put together to make bigger ones and these are welded together. Each of the blacksmiths will bring their own material and use pieces of old metal scrap as well. The teams will be composed not only of male representatives of this craft but there will be one woman, too. In future, we would like to engage also students of vocational schools and let them inspire us with their creativity. Their creations could be on display in the scrap alley of Tatrapolis, too,” says artist blacksmith Vladimír Eperješi.
“The tradition of smithery dates back to the early 17th century, when the first statutes of a guild of blacksmiths and locksmiths were written in Liptovský Mikuláš. We are very happy that this craft is becoming popular with the public in an artistic form and that it is happening inside our park of metal miniatures, in Tatrapolis at Tatralandia. We hope the metal sculpting festival called Tatrapolis Iron Master will be included in the calendar every year and establish a nice tradition that visitors of all age groups will be looking forward to. This year´s competition on the topic of Myths and Legends will have a winner who will be chosen by visitors themselves. They will get special voting cards once they enter the park and can use them to vote for the best work of art. The winning team will be announced on Sunday 27th August at 05:00pm,” explained Sylvia Artzová, the marketing director of Tatralandia.
The weekend in Tatrapolis will be not only about a genuine smithery atmosphere and anvil throwing competitions of strong men but also about beautiful dancers, great food served in the U kováča restaurant (At a blacksmith´s) and a rich music programme with bands like Metalinda, Red Hot Chilli Peppers Revival, S hudbou vermírnou, Heľenine oči and singer Barbora Hazuchová. Read more on www.tatralandia.sk.
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Tatry mountain resorts, a.s. (TMR) is the leader in tourism in Central and Eastern Europe; it owns and operates attractive mountain resorts, amusement parks, restaurant facilities, sports services, shops and hotels. In the Low Tatras TMR owns and operates the resort Jasná Nízke Tatry and hotels Wellness hotel Grand Jasná, Boutique Hotel Tri Studničky, Chalets Jasná De Luxe, Hotel Srdiečko, and Hotel Rotunda. TMR is also the owner of Aquapark Tatralandia, the largest Slovak aquapark with year-round operation, which besides water entertainment includes Tropical Paradise, a special tropical indoor hall with sea water, as well as Fun Park, and accommodation in bungalows and apartments of Holiday Village Tatralandia. In the High Tatras TMR owns and operates the resort Vysoké Tatry with mountain areas of Tatranská Lomnica, Starý Smokovec, and Štrbské Pleso, which TMR co-manages. In the High Tatras TMR also owns hotels Grandhotel Praha Tatranská Lomnica, Grandhotel Starý Smokovec, Hotel FIS Štrbské Pleso and Mountain hotel Hrebienok. TMR also owns a 9.5 % share in Melida, a.s., which leases and operates the resort Špindlerův Mlýn in the Czech Republic. In Poland TMR owns a 97% share in the mountain resort Szczyrkowski Ośrodek Narciarski S.A. (SON), a 75% share in a company that owns and operates Silesian Amusement Park (Śląskie Wesołe Miasteczko) and a 7.3% share in an amusement-educational project via the Polish company Korona Ziemi Sp. z.o.o. TMR also owns and leases hotels Slovakia, Kosodrevina, Liptov and Ski&Fun Záhradky a Bungalovy to third parties. By the end of 2016 EUR 230 mil. had been invested into development and modernisation of TMR’s resorts. TMR shares are traded on three European stock exchanges – in Bratislava, Prague, and Warsaw.