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Starý Smokovec is situated at an altitude of 990 m at the foot of the Slavkovský štít (2,452 m) in the High Tatra mountain region of eastern Slovakia. Founded in 1793, it is the oldest community of the area and began to develop around the mineral springs that are still used today. Starý Smokovec is the administrative centre of the municipality Voysoké Tatry (see below) and also the seat of the Mountain Rescue Service.

Fifteen communities were joined in 1947 to form the new municipality of Vysoké Tatry (High Tatra). With about 5,500 inhabitants and an area of 398 m² it is one of the largest municipalities of Slovakia. The administrative center is Starý Smokovec. The 15 formerly independent communities were (from west to east, names given in Slovak, Hungarian and German):

Podbanské (Podbanszkó / Pod Bansko, Untergruben / Podbańsko) Štrbské Pleso (Csorba-tó / Csorber See, Tschirmersee / Szczyrbskie Jezioro) Vyšné Hágy (Felsőhági / Hoch-Hagi, Hochhagen / Wyżne Hagi) Nová Polianka (Újszéplak / Neuwesterheim / Nowa Polanka) Tatranská Polianka (Tátraszéplak, Weszterlak / Tatrawesterheim, Westerheim / Tatrzańska Polanka) Tatranské Zruby (Tátraotthon / Tatraheim / Tatrzańskie Zręby) Nový Smokovec (Újtátrafüred / Neuschmecks / Nowy Smokowiec) Starý Smokovec (Tátrafüred, Ótátrafüred / Altschmecks / Stary Smokowiec) Horný Smokovec (Felsőtátrafüred / Oberschmecks / Górny Smokowiec) Dolný Smokovec (Alsótátrafüred / Unterschmecks / Dolny Smokowiec) Tatranská Lesná (Tátraerdőfalva / Tatrawalddorf / Tatrzańska Leśna) Tatranská Lomnica (Tátralomnic / Tatralomnitz / Łomnica Tatrzańska) Tatranské Matliare (Matlárháza / Matlarenau / Matlary) Kežmarské Žľaby (Késmárki Itató / Käsmarker Tränke / Kieżmarskie Złoby) Tatranská Kotlina (Tátra-Barlangliget / Tatrahöhlenhain, Tatrahohlenheim / Tatrzańskie Kotliny)