HISTORY

Starý Smokovec is the oldest settlement of the High Tatras Mountains. It was founded in 1793 near acid springs on the foothills of Slavkovský Peak – at the crossroad of the Road of Freedom and road to Poprad. Originally there was only a hunter cottage of the earl Štefan Csáky located in this area. Another cabins, accommodation, catering and water treatment facilities  have been built later. More and more tourists have been attracted by the area over the years. Starý Smokovec was the only settlement of its kind in the High Tatras Mountains until Košicko – bohumínska railway was built. The name of the settlement is derived from Zmok, a patron of metallurgists, who smelted the iron ore in the area in the Laten period. The metallurgists, protected by thick forests against raids of Tartars and Hussites,  lived in this area until the 15th century.

The neighbouring forest had several owners, for example Zápoľský or Csáky family. After abolition of serfdom the forest became a possession of mill town-planners. Ján Juraj Rainer, a landholder of Starý Smokovec from 1833 until 1867,  largely contributed to its development. Objects like Flóra (1839), The Swiss House and Bellevue (1850) were built at that time and they are located on their original places until today.

In this period the main function of the settlement was water treatment based on acid water from Smokovec. A lot of investments were made after Košicko- bohumínska railway had been opened.  Some of them included The Csáky House and Scepusia (nowadays Tatra complex), The Spa House as well as private residencies, for example Villa Klotilda which was built upon the request of archprincess Klotilda of Habsburg.

The first Tatras Grandhotel was finished in 1904. In order to attract tourists regular winter seasons with a wide choice  of opportunities for sport were established and the ground cable car to Hrebienok started its operation in 1908. In the period between the wars The Hoepfner´s House (nowadays the Hotel Smokovec) and some new shops were  built, services increased and furnishings of the  facilities improved.

Starý Smokovec was the most affected settlement of the High Tatras Mountains during the World  War II. However, it was quickly renewed and in 1947 it became the seat of  a village and later the town of High Tatras. The World Championship in 1970 largely contributed to the development of the settlement because many modern facilities including Satur, The Mountain Rescue Service House and Shopping centre were built.


Hrebienok

The idea, projection, development and  construction of the ground cable car from Satrý Smokovec to Hrebienok are closely connected with opening and history of Tatra Electric Railway. The ground cable car was built with a help of money from shareholders of the company Phoebus together with a part of electric railway Poprad-Tatry-Starý Smokovec and its operation started only 4 days later, on December, 21, 1908.

The main goal of the cable car was to enable access for the visitors of Starý Smokovec and  tourists to  the beauties  of popular Studené valleys. Two cabins with one carriage class served for transportation of passengers. The ground cable car Satrý Smokovec - Hrebienok reached the  altitude difference of 254 m. The original track served for the tourists in the High Tatras until 1967.

Primitive carriages of the ground cable car were replaced by modern ones in 1951. The exchange of mechanical equipment caused a significant increase in travelling speed due to which the previous cable car was on the last position in Europe.

Increasing quantity of visitors and The World Championship in 1970 led to higher demands for the ground cable car transportation. In 1964 a decision was made to replace unsuitable cable car with a small capacity by a newer one. The first project was made in February 1965 and it proposed  a delivery of technological equipment made by Austrian company Waagner-Biro GmbH in Vienna. After receipt of the offer from Italian company Ceretti-Tanfani in Milan the original project was replaced by the second alternative which was proposed by The State Department  of Transportation Projection and included delivery of technological equipment from Italian company. The reason for change of the supplier of the technological part was that Italian equipment.was more efficient and much modern.

The ground cable car underwent its reconstruction in 1967. A  valley station building in Starý Smokovec, a complete railway top of the track as well as driving equipment in the upper station on Hrebienok were removed. New modern stations of the ground cable car were built  in Starý Smokovec and on Hrebienok.

The basis of the  new cable car is  a  shuttle system with an Abtt  rail switch. In comparison to the original track, the altitude difference between stations has been reduced by eight  metres (246,04 m). Towers for air conduction are located along the track and serve for information and control devices and for delivery of electrical energy necessary for lighting and heating of the carriages and driving of compressors. The most important part of the cable car is an electrical drive with an alarm system and automatic speed regulation.

The shuttle transportation is secured by two carriages with a capacity of 128 passengers and one conductor. The No. 1 carriage is a control one which  means that whenever required,  the operation can be controlled from the conductor´s seat. In the No. 2 carriage it is only possible to stop the operation. Thanks to the reconstruction of the cable car a transportation output has been increased five times. Passengers do not have to wait,  the cable car provides better comfort and culture of transportation has been improved.