The East
The Spis (Zips) region was resettled by Saxons after the 13th-century Tartar invasions; most villages combine Teutonic (including many Protestant churches) and Slovak traits. The walled town of Levoca became the wealthy capital of the Union of Zips Saxons in 1271. The Gothic church of sv Jakub (St James) houses the world’s highest Gothic altar (18.6m/61ft high and 6m/20ft wide) built by Master Pavol and complemented by 12 important side altars. Kezmarok is noted for its wooden Protestant Church, capable of seating 1500 worshipers. Walled Spisská Kapitula was the seat of provosts and later bishops from the 13th century. The Romanesque cathedral of sv Martin is featured in many postcards. Spiˇs Castle, dating from the 12th century, is the biggest medieval castle in central Europe.
Southeast of Poprad, deep canyons cut through the Slovensk´y raj (Slovak Paradise) National Park. The pine forest landscape is riddled with basins and waterfalls, and the park contains Europe’s oldest ice-cave at Dobsiná (Dobsinská l’adová jaskyna). Hrabusice-Podlesok and Cingov are ideal starting points for the extensive hiking and biking trails. Further south, the Slovensky kras is a karst region at the Hungarian border. The Andrássy Mausoleum at Krásna Hôrka is the Slovak Republic’s finest Art Nouveau building.
Near the Polish border is the Saris region (Carpatho-Ruthenia, Podkarpatska Rus), home of the Rusyn minority. Presov’s Uniate Cathedral (Grecko-katolica katedrála), a unique blend of Orthodox and Roman Catholicism, has an enormous Baroque iconostasis. Bardejov is an almost perfectly preserved walled medieval German town; the Rathaus (Town Hall) houses the superb Saris Museum. Nearby is the spa town of Bardehovské kúpele, once the playground of the Hungarian and Russian nobility; the open-air folk museum (skansen) is particularly fine.
To the south, Kosice is a lively city whose wealth was based on the salt trade; it still retains a strong Hungarian atmosphere. St Elizabeth’s dóm, the easternmost Gothic cathedral in Europe, is also one of the most beautiful. There are a number of good museums of which the Technical Museum is the best. Northeast of Kosice is the Herl’any Geyser, which sprays cold mineral water as high as 30m (100ft) every 32 to 34 hours.
|
