
The Herľany geyser in eastern Slovakia is a rare cold-water geyser whose eruptions are driven not by geothermal heat but by natural carbon dioxide rising from deep geological layers.
Located near the village of Herľany (German: Herlein, Hungarian: Ránkfüred or Herlány) at the foot of the Slanské vrchy, it has been active since the 19th century, when a spa well unexpectedly transformed into a periodic eruptive spring. Its water column can reach 10–15 meters, shooting upward in a powerful jet that lasts roughly 20–30 minutes. The interval between eruptions is long and irregular, typically around 32–36 hours, which gives the site an air of anticipation and makes each eruption a small event for visitors. The water is cool, mineral-rich, and slightly effervescent due to dissolved CO₂, reflecting the volcanic origins of the surrounding landscape.
Historically, the geyser became a scientific curiosity and a regional attraction soon after its discovery, drawing both spa guests and geologists. According to average eruptive activity data, the geyser erupted over 40,000 times in its 120 years of activity. It remains one of the few cold-water geysers in Europe and is protected as a natural monument. The surrounding parkland preserves the atmosphere of the old spa era, with walking paths and remnants of 19th‑century facilities. Today, the geyser stands as a geological rarity that blends natural spectacle with the cultural history of Slovak spa traditions.
Those who found it without a hint:
- Martin de Bock
- Garfield
- Paul Voestermans
- Phil Ower
- Lighthouse
And after the hint:
- Graham Hedley
- Bernd
- Zorro the Fox
And this ends the “Unvisited Europe” series.
Maybe some of you have recognised the theme on the way.
Now we have covered all countries of Europe (except for the microstate of Monaco, where I found no image of interest that is not recognised by a reverse image search engine).
Congratulations to the winners of this series for their perfect score of 20/20:
- Martin de Bock
- Garfield
- Phil Ower












