Slovenské Ďarmoty

The village Slovenské Ďarmoty is situated in the south part of Slovakia, in the valley called Ipeľská dolina on the left bank of the river Ipeľ. It lies in the altitude of 138 m - 265 m. The highest point is the hill Čikmán. The village is located on the crossroads of the towns Nitra, Lučenec, Banská Bystrica and Budapešť. A border crossing is important for development of tourism.
The village area has been populated since the Neolithic era. Trade routes using a ford across the Ipeľ river had an important role in the process of settlement in the Roman and some other eras. There was a Great Moravian settlement, too. In 9th and 10th centuries many Hungarian tribes (e.g. Gyarmat) settled down in this area. The names of these tribes have been preserved in the names of some villages. The history of the settlement development in this area is supported by rich archaeological research. Slovenské Ďarmoty was a part of the town Balašské Ďarmoty. With formation of the first Czechoslovak Republic they became separated and the border line is the Ipeľ river. The first written record comes from 1919.

The village inhabitants were good farmers and wine-growers already in the Middle Ages. A little undulating terrain has provided great conditions for wine-growing for centuries. Although the village is predominantly agricultural, it has a rich cultural life. Cultural events such as balls, Children’s day, Mother’s day and sport events (e.g. annual ‘nohejbal’ matches for the Mayor’s Cup or Sunday football matches organized by the local football club) are organized by the Civil affaires association (Združenie pre občianske záležitosti). Very popular is the event called Fairytales of Božena Němcová (Rozprávky Boženy Nemcovej). There is a memorial tablet (year 1858) on the Cultural house reminding the stay of this Czech writer in Ďarmoty, her contacts with the generation of Štúrovci and ethnographic picture called Hungarian town Ďarmoty (Uhorské mesto Ďarmoty).
Important architectonic dominant feature of the village is modern subsidiary Roman-Catholic church of St. Imrich. It was built with the help of people from Ďarmoty as well as surrounding villages and consecrated in 1993. Architecture, coloured window-panes and the beautiful village surroundings create pleasant environment for the faithful who are coming here to attend the masses.
The village surroundings offers many beautiful experiences. Small rivers called Kurekovský and Čebovský potok flow through the hill Biely vrch. In the protected area Ďarmotská stráň there grows a precious plant Stipa joannis, and you can see protected European bee-eater and grasshoppers Acrida hungarica, too. You can have a walk through the educational-tourist path along Morské oko on the hill Biely vrch. In the near village Želovce there is a Baroque castle from the half of 18th century as well as curies. In Sklabiná you can visit the Memorial house of the great writer, novelist Kálmán Mikszáth. Near border crossing to Hungary allows the tour to the town Balážske Ďarmoty (18 thousand inhabitants).