Levoča and the Mariánska Hora – The Most Authentic Medieval City in Europe
After a year if taking Slovak history classes at my local university I was ready for my adventure into the very heart of the county. Aim of my trip was to discover the very authentic medieval heart of the country, located in Central Slovakia, as my last visit focused on the western part of the country. A secondary goal was to see the famed Levoča Cage of Shame since I had made so many jokes about it during class. Anyhow Levoča did not disappoint.
For those looking for a quick preview of what to expect, I can only answer with the following gothic, gothic and more gothic. This city is located in Spiš county, a place known for its medieval landscapes, including towns and castles.
For more information please see the post on Spiš County.
Table of Contents
- Geography
- A Brief History
- Exploring the Mariánska Hora
- Exploring Levoča
- Thurzo House
- Where to Eat/Drink
- Conclusion
Geography
Located far above sea level in the northern part of Central Slovakia, this city occupies an untouched locale where the mountains have given way to endless rolling hills now farmland as far as the eye can see. The city was for a time the capital of Spiš County.
A Brief History
This city’s most interesting events happen in the medieval period and early renaissance, and as such a traveller here should concentrate on those periods.
Medieval History
A part of the Kingdom of Hungary since the Magyar invasion of Great Moravia, the town prospered until the Mongol invasion of 1241. Afterwards, king Bela IV of Hungary brought Germans into his Kingdom to help re-populate it and stimulate the economy. They called it Leutschau. The first written mention of the town is of 1249, at it would achieve royal status in 1321.
The town strongly benefited, along with all of Central Slovakia from trade routes from Poland heading south during the 15th century. This is turn helped the town grow culturally as a hub of the arts, crafts and learning.
Renaissance and the Modern Era
The town declined in the 16th century due to a series of fires, although it did recover hosting an early printing press in 1624 and becoming a center of the protestant reformation. The tumult from this period resulted in anti catholic Habsburg uprisings that led to the city’s permanent neglect and decline. It was even bypassed by the 19th century railways.
After the First World War, it became part of the new Czechoslovak state and Lőcse became Levoča. The towns Jews were deported during the Holocaust by the puppet Slovak state. In recent times many Slovaks have moved away and the town has had a lot of former gypsies settle in its confines. Spis county is currently seeing some success in integrating these people in the local life.
Exploring the Mariánska Hora
Located high above the town, to the north, is a place of pilgrimage called Mariánska Hora (Basilica of the Virgin Mary).
You can walk up though a pathway in the fields or you can drive to the top. When there you will be privy to a great view of the Central Slovak landscape below. Due to its elevation local townspeople took refuge in a church at this location to escape the hordes of 1241.
Many iteration of the church have existed at this location over the years but the current one dates from the 20th century, it was upgraded to a minor basilica in 1984. Its greatest triumph was in 1995 when the Pope himself showed up. John Paul II was greeted by 650,000 pilgrims gathered for the occasion.
If you walk around the basilica or the path of pilgrimage you will find several smaller chapels such as the Vonkajší oltár.
Exploring Levoča
After parking at my hotel, a beautifully restored red coloured building called U Janusa (I strongly recommend it), I made my way into the city. The city was undergoing massive restoration, but it had not yet reached my street giving me an idea of what the town looked like before the latest round of government investment.
The reason for the city’s UNESCO inscription is twofold; the first is that it is a perfectly preserved walled medieval city and the second is the works of the master woodcarvers Master Pavol of Levoča.
The Walls
The walls themselves are a good place to start your tour of the city. They are not the tallest but are still mostly intact, having survived the enlightenment when most of them were town down to allow cities to grow.
Basilica of St. James
The main attraction in town is the Gothic Basilica of St. James, the second largest in Slovakia. Inside you will find works by the Master Paul of Levoča, including the world’s tallest wooden altar. This giant piece clocks in at a staggering 18.62 metres (61.1 ft) in height.
The building was completed in 1517 and features many works of art in its halls today. For those who wish, you can climb up to the bell-tower.
From here you will have a birds eyed view of the town, and the surrounding landscape.
The Town Hall
Just south of the basilica you will find the Gothic town hall home to a famous tale of revenge. The 1615 building is now a museum.
Now about that tale, during a hunt in 1700, the mayor of Lovoca was accidentally wounded by a local nobleman. In return, this created a chain reaction that resulted in a series of revenge attacks and ended with the death of Karol Kramler, a Saxon (German) magistrate. As a result of this incident a call to further revenge was put out in the form of the mayor’s arm. It was displayed in the town hall after was then cut off and embalmed to preserved it
This incident was made into a famous Hungarian novel called The Black City, by Kálmán Mikszáth.
The Cage of Shame
My favourite attraction in Levoča, is surely the “cage of shame”. The fine cast iron structure features a heart on its gate. This is as it was used by husbands to shame their gossiping, or sinful, wives.
Evangelical Church and the Spišské múzeum
Located south of the town hall you will find the evangelic church, with its recognizable dome as well as the local museum.
You will also find the very pretty fontána Dobročinnosti.
The Main Square
The main square surrounds the basilica and features some of the pretties guild and burgher homes.
Today these are either museums, hotels or restaurants.
At night this area comes alive and is the center of the city’s nighlife, although it can be quiet during the day.
At night near the Ludovit Stur statue, there are usually live bands playing and the Slovaks and Gypsys from the surounding town fill the space, enjoying the summer concerts. Stur is the national hero of Slovakia, the founder of Pan-Slavism and the man who codified the Slovak language.
Thurzo House
The most important Burgher home in town, it belonged to the family of Hungarian nobles of the same name. This family established a monopoly on the copper market along with the Fugger Family, and held a lot of power in Upper Hungary (Slovakia) during the Medieval and early Renaissance era. The elegant structure features intricate delineating and paintings and was constructed in the 15th century.
Košická brána (Košice Gate) and the Church of the Holy Spirit
East of the basilica you will find a road leading to an elaborate gate. This is the historic road to Košice, the Second city of Slovakia and the de-facto capital of the east.
Beside the gate you will find a baroque building. This is the catholic Church of the Holy Spirit. If features a clocktower and a beautifully decorated interior.
Where to Eat/Drink
There are plenty of great business in Levoca, so do not worry about solely stopping at my recommendations. To eat I would recommend Basta restaurant as it is directly built into the city walls.
Here you can get an excellent meal and beer for a reasonable price.
For beer, try Šariš, a 12% premium beer from nearby Presov. It has a strong bite and taste, most importantly its semi-local.
Tehre are also plenty of great cafes’ including one called Leutschau (the old German name for the city). This once features a stone courtyard though a vaulted archway.
Conclusion
Few places I have visited have been as strange and wonderful as Levoča. Despite it being practically tourist free at the time of my visit it still felt lively as the locals were enjoying the revitalized old town square and tourist oriented festivities. Central Slovakia is a land forgotten by time and because of this you will have the change to experience the most authentic parts of the country and its people. Savor it, few place like this are left and I fear (and hope!) that it will one day be a great draw.
