Hronovce (Lekér)

The village of Lekér, on the banks of the winding Garam, was created in 1968, following the merger of the villages of Garamvezekény, Garamdamásd and Lekér. The Garam is an exciting, rapids-filled, clear-water river that flows entirely through Slovakia and flows into the Danube below Esztergom. With a little attention, it is also suitable for water hiking, with several organised tours now passing through the village. Other natural attractions include the Ártéri forest, the Sári stream and the Vezekényi meadow, which was declared a protected landscape area in 1953. Throughout its history, the settlement has been mainly in the hands of the church, thanks to its abbey castle and the former abbey church. Unfortunately, the Baroque castle built by Abbot János Galgóczy, where Mór Jókai and Sándor Petõfi once stayed, has now been converted into a psychiatric hospital. However, the village’s interesting monument – the Roman Catholic church – still preserves in its stone vault carvings from the former abbey church that are more than 800 years old.