Bardejov

The town Bardejov lies near an old trade route to Poland and in the vicinity of an ancient Slavic settlement. A small town of commercial-artisan existed here as early as 1247. In 1376 the town was granted various privileges including complete self-government and the right to build a fortification and turrets. It acquired a monopoly to bleach cloth as well.

Bardejov has a well-preserved regular rectangular square on three sides lined with high burger´s houses with conspicuous facades and high gables. The whole northern side of the square is occupied by a monumental parish church attesting to the ancient character of the town´s southeastern part. Elf of its leaf altars shows one of the rarest Gothic interiors of its type in Central Europe.

Amidst the square there is an attractive Gothic-Renaissance town-hall erected in 1505-1509. Nowadays it houses a museum. In 1460, the Franciscan monks built their church and monastery on the outskirts of the town. The town was fortified in 1352-1376 and originally was accessed by three gates. A substantial part of the fortification including turrets and partly also barbicans of the Upper and Lower gates was preserved till the present days.

In the 16th century there started a cultural boom represented by a humanistic school and renewed printing house. However, it was overwhelmed by disastrous fires and revolts. In 1986 Bardejov was awarded the European Prize for saving its cultural monuments.

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