Dubník Transmitter: the 318 m mast in the Slanské vrchy
Dubník Transmitter (Vysielač Dubník) stands on the 874-metre hill of Dubník in the Slanské vrchy, about 14 km south-east of Prešov. Its guyed tubular steel mast, 318 metres tall, has carried radio and television since February 1961 and is the tallest structure in Slovakia. It is an unusual stop for travellers who like engineering, mountain roads and quiet forest views in eastern Slovakia.
A steel mast on a forested hill in eastern Slovakia rises 318 metres and is the tallest structure ever built in the country, with a free-standing tower beside it.
The history of the Dubník Transmitter
The transmitter stands on Dubník, a hill of 874.2 metres in the Šimonka subunit of the Slanské vrchy, a mountain range of volcanic origin that runs from Prešov south to the Hungarian border. The hill rises above the settlement of Červenica, about 14 km south-east of Prešov, and its cadastral land belongs to Zlatá Baňa and Červenica. Its forested summit is occupied by the broadcasting station, which makes the hill easy to recognise from far away.
The mast was built in 1961 and put into operation on 24 February 1961. It is a guyed steel mast, a tubular structure held by cables, 318 metres tall, and its design is similar to that of the Suchá hora transmitter in central Slovakia. That mast, built in 1960 and first put into operation on 28 October 1960, is 302 metres tall and is described as the second-tallest structure in the country, only six metres lower than Dubník. Next to the mast at Dubník stands a free-standing steel telecommunication tower that sources call architecturally interesting.
In August 1968, during the occupation of Czechoslovakia, the broadcasting equipment was destroyed by the occupying troops. The transmitter was also taken off the air because of a fire. In the following decades it grew into one of the most important and most powerful transmitters in Slovakia. Its signal is available over a large part of eastern Slovakia, with strong spillover into neighbouring countries. Its main task is to cover the Košice Basin, the East Slovak Lowland with Zemplín and the Šariš region, and the overspill allows reception in Spiš and Liptov as well.
The technology has changed with the times. In April 2011 the analogue signals of Dvojka and TV Markíza were switched off, followed by Jednotka in August 2011. On 28 April 2011 the public multiplex of digital television was launched from the site. In January 2023 digital radio in the DAB+ standard began broadcasting from the mast. Today the transmitter continues to serve the east of the country as an active broadcasting facility.
Curiosities about the Dubník Transmitter
- At 318 metres the mast is described as the tallest structure in Slovakia, six metres taller than the Suchá hora mast.
- Next to the mast stands a free-standing steel telecommunication tower described as architecturally interesting.
- Its design is similar to that of the Suchá hora transmitter, which went into operation just a few months earlier in 1960.
- From suitable spots on the hill you can see the Slanské vrchy, the Košice Basin, the Volovské vrchy, Čierna hora and the Vihorlat mountains, and rarely even the Tatras.
- South of the hill lies the protected area Dubnícke bane, a system of old galleries where opal was once mined and where a large colony of bats now hibernates.
- The Slanské vrchy are a range of volcanic origin, made of andesite and similar rocks, and their andesite is used as a high-quality building stone.
Tours near Dubník Transmitter
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting the Dubník Transmitter
- The transmitter is an active broadcasting facility on top of the hill. The sources used here do not say whether visits to the mast itself are possible, so treat it as a place to view from outside.
- An asphalt road leads to the top from Zámutov, from Zlatá Baňa or from the former settlement of Dubník, which is part of Červenica.
- No marked hiking trail goes to the summit. A red-marked route from Makovica to Čierna hora runs along the ridge to the east, and a blue-marked trail from Červenica leads up to the junction Za Dubníkom on the south-eastern slope.
- The summit is covered by continuous forest, so views are limited; look for suitable clearings on the way.
- Other places on this site nearby include the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (about 18 km), Čičava Castle (about 20 km), Šariš Castle (about 25 km) and the Archbishop's Palace in Košice (about 27 km).
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Dubník Transmitter is
Photos of Dubník Transmitter
Questions
Where is the Dubník Transmitter and how do you get there?
It stands on Dubník hill in the Slanské vrchy, about 14 km south-east of Prešov. An asphalt road leads up from Zámutov, Zlatá Baňa or the former settlement of Dubník.
How tall is the Dubník Transmitter?
The guyed steel mast is 318 metres tall, which makes it the tallest structure in Slovakia. The hill it stands on is 874.2 metres above sea level.
When was the Dubník Transmitter built?
It was built in 1961 and began operating on 24 February 1961. Its design is similar to that of the Suchá hora transmitter.
What does the Dubník Transmitter broadcast?
It carries FM radio, digital television and, since January 2023, DAB+ digital radio. Analogue television was switched off in 2011.
Can you hike to the Dubník Transmitter?
No marked trail leads to the summit, but marked routes pass nearby, and a comfortable asphalt road reaches the top. Check local conditions before you go.
What happened to the transmitter in 1968?
In August 1968 its broadcasting equipment was destroyed by the occupying troops, and the transmitter was also shut down because of a fire.
Also nearby
Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
Prešov · Baroque cathedral with an iconostasis and a Shroud copy
18 km away
Čičava Castle
Sedliská · ruined hill castle with a legendary Book of Lies
20 km away
Šariš Castle
Veľký Šariš · vast royal ruin with 14 bastions and a view of the Tatras
25 km away
Plague Chapel of St Rosalie
Košice · octagonal Baroque chapel raised after the plague
27 km away