Štrbské pleso lake, the second largest tarn on the Slovak side of the High Tatras, lies at an elevation of 1,355 metres. A morainal lake with an area of 19.76 hectares and a maximum depth of 20 metres, the tarn has a rich endemic fauna which has been joined over recent decades by a number of new fauna and fish species. The first buildings designed to exploit the tarn's tourism potential date from as early as 1782. In 1896 the burgeoning settlement was linked to the Košice-Bohumín mainline by a rack-and-pinion railway. In the course of its development the community of Štrbské Pleso has established itself as a versatile centre for healthcare, sport and recreation, a fact which accounts for its - sometimes undesirable - architecture. Nontheless, nature conservation is a priority in this area: strictly marked tourist paths and run courses are wittness.