Vernár

Vernár (Hungarian: Vernár, German: Wernsdorf, Rusyn: Вернар) is a village and large municipality in Poprad District in the Prešov Region of northern Slovakia.^[4] It lies between Low Tatras and Slovenský raj mountain ranges. It is Slovakia's western-most municipality with Orthodox plurality.

Vernár
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Vernár Location of Vernár in the Prešov Region Show map of Prešov Region Vernár Location of Vernár in Slovakia Show map of Slovakia
Coordinates: 48.92°N 20.27°E / 48.92; 20.27
Country	Slovakia
Region	Prešov Region
District	Poprad District
First mentioned	1295
Area [1]
• Total	0 km2 (0 sq mi)
Elevation [2]	765 m (2,510 ft)
Population  (2021)[3]
• Total	0
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	591 7[2]
Area code	+421 52[2]
Car plate	PP
Website	www.vernar.sk

History

The village was mentioned in the historical records for the first time in 1295. Before the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia in 1918, Vernár was part of Gömör and Kishont County within the Kingdom of Hungary. From 1939 to 1945, it was part of the Slovak Republic. On 28 January 1945, the Red Army entered Vernár and it was once again part of Czechoslovakia.

Geography

The municipality lies at an altitude of 765 metres (2,510 ft)^{[citation needed]} and covers an area of 52.88 km² (20.42 sq mi) (2024).^[5]

Population

Population statistic (10 years)^[6]

Year	1994	2004	2014	2024
Count	711	642	585	547
Difference		−9.70%	−8.87%	−6.49%

Population statistic^[6]

Year	2023	2024
Count	556	547
Difference		−1.61%

It has a population of 547 people (31 December 2024).^[7]

Ethnicity

Census 2021 (1+ %)^[8][9]

Ethnicity	Number	Fraction
Slovak	567	99.12%
Rusyn	11	1.92%
Not found out	7	1.22%
Czech	6	1.04%
Total	572

In year 2021 was 572 people by ethnicity 567 as Slovak, 11 as Rusyn, 7 as Not found out, 6 as Czech, 2 as Russian and 1 as French.

Note on population

The difference between the population numbers above and in the census (here and below) is that the population numbers above are mostly made up of permanent residents, etc.; and the census should indicate the place where people actually mainly live. For example, a student is a citizen of a village because he has permanent residence there (he lived there as a child and has parents), but most of the time he studies at a university in the city.

Religion

Census 2021 (1+ %)^[10]

Religion	Number	Fraction
Eastern Orthodox Church	266	46.5%
Greek Catholic Church	157	27.45%
None	79	13.81%
Roman Catholic Church	51	8.92%
Total	572

In year 2021 was 572 people by religion 266 from Eastern Orthodox Church, 157 from Greek Catholic Church, 79 from None, 51 from Roman Catholic Church, 5 from Christian Congregations in Slovakia, 5 from Evangelical Church, 4 from Not found out, 2 from Other, 2 from Apostolic Church and 1 from Ad hoc movements.

Economy and infrastructure

There is a football club, chess club and a ski-lift area in the village. Cultural sightseeings are a classical Greek Catholic church from the 19th century and a preserved folk architecture.