This eastern Slovak town has a medieval center with Gothic and Baroque buildings, including the Church of St. James housing Europe's tallest wooden altar at 18.6 meters.
In eastern Slovakia's Levoča, you'll walk through one of Europe's largest medieval squares, where a 17th-century iron cage once held gossiping townspeople. Inside the 14th-century St. James Basilica, you can see Master Paul's 18.62-meter wooden altar, the world's tallest of its kind. As you explore the town's streets, you'll pass under the arched Košice Gate and alongside Renaissance merchant houses with painted facades and stone arcades.
Master Paul's Square Layout
At 4.4 hectares, Master Paul's Square contains more than 50 Renaissance and Gothic buildings. You'll find the 15th-century Old Town Hall in the center, with its Renaissance arcade and a mechanical tower clock from 1620. Look for the classical Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1837, distinguished by its Greek cross floor plan and copper dome. In the square's northern corner, the 17th-century Cage of Shame still stands - an iron cage where locals were once locked up for minor offenses like spreading rumors or drinking too much in public.
St. James Basilica's Gothic Interior
When you step into the 14th-century Basilica of St. James, you'll see Master Paul's masterpiece: an 18.62-meter wooden altar from 1520, constructed entirely without iron nails. Look around to discover multiple Gothic altars, including the 15th-century altar of St. Nicholas. Medieval wall paintings tell the story of St. Dorothy's life. The 70-meter tower, added in 1858, rings with four bells from different centuries.
Town Fortifications Route
Walk the 2.5-kilometer circuit of medieval walls, which rise up to 8 meters high. Enter through the 15th-century Košice Gate, marked by its pointed arch and guard tower. Just inside, you can visit the Church of the Holy Spirit with its 1750 ceiling frescoes. The wall circuit includes 15 bastions and two additional gates, making a complete loop around the old town.
Mariánska hora Church
Climb to the Neo-Gothic church on Mariánska hora, sitting 781 meters above sea level. Each July, more than 400,000 pilgrims gather here for Slovakia's largest pilgrimage. You can follow the marked trail from the town center, reaching the summit in about 30 minutes. The hill's religious significance dates to the 13th century, when locals sought refuge here during the Tartar invasion.
Merchant Houses Architecture
On Master Paul's Square, examine the Thurzo House's Neo-Renaissance sgraffito work from 1904, now home to regional archives. The old town's merchant houses display Gothic stone portals, Renaissance arcades, and painted facades. Descend into the medieval cellars beneath these buildings - once storage spaces for goods traded between Krakow and Budapest along the Via Magna route.
