So this is what Slovakia looked like in the 13th century… Unesco-listed Levoča still has its high medieval walls, surrounding old town buildings and cobblestone alleyways. At the centre of it all stands the pride of the country's religious architectural collection, the Gothic Church of St Jacob. Levoča is one of Slovakia's most important pilgrimage centres.
Church of St JacobCHURCH
The spindles-and-spires Church of St Jacob, built in the 14th and 15th centuries, elevates your spirit with its soaring arches, precious art and rare furnishings, where the main attraction is Slovakia's tallest altar, an impressive 18m high.
Buy tickets from the cashier inside the Municipal Weights House across the street from the north door. Entry is generally on the hour. The adjacent 16th-century cage of shame was built to punish naughty boys and girls.
Nám Majstra PavlaSQUARE
Gothic and Renaissance eye candy abound on the main square, Nám Majstra Pavla. The private Thurzov House (1517), at No 7, has a characteristically frenetic Spiš Renaissance roofline. No 20 is the Master Pavol Museum, dedicated to the works of the city's most celebrated son. The 15th-century Historic Town Hall (Radnica) building, centre square, is really more interesting than the limited exhibits within.
One ticket gets you into both of the latter, as they are branches of the Spiš Museum (www.spisskemuzeum.com).
One ticket gets you into both of the latter, as they are branches of the Spiš Museum (www.spisskemuzeum.com).
Levoča is on the main E50 motorway between Poprad (28km) and Košice (94km). Bus travel is the most feasible option here.
The local bus stop at Nám Štefana Kluberta is much closer to town than the bus station, which is 1km southeast of the town centre. From the bus stop, follow Košicka west two blocks and you'll hit the main square.
Frequent bus services take you to the following destinations:
Košice (€5, two hours, 12 to 14 daily)
Poprad (€1.70, 45 minutes, at least hourly) Most convenient onward mainline train connections.
Spišská Nová Ves (€0.90, 20 minutes, half-hourly) For Slovenský Raj National Park.
Spišské Podhradie (€0.90, 20 minutes, half-hourly) For Spiš Castle.
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