Spišská Nová Ves

Spišská Nová Ves has the longest lens-shaped square in Slovakia, a spindle nearly a kilometre from end to end, with the parish church at its centre carrying the tallest church tower in the country at eighty-seven metres, climbable for the view over the Spiš basin to the Tatras. The town works mainly as the base for the Slovak Paradise national park, whose gorge trails start a short drive south.

Background

Saxon miners founded the town in the 13th century next to an earlier Slavic settlement, and 1268 is given as its date of establishment. It lies at 506 m, spreading across both banks of the Hornád. Market rights came in the 14th century and mining-town status in 1380, and its street market became the largest in the Kingdom of Hungary. Konrád Gaal ran a Gothic bell foundry here and was knighted in 1357 after casting a large bell for Louis I of Hungary. From 1778 the Province of 16 Spiš towns had its capital here. Stoneware made in the town in the 19th century bore the mark Iglo with two crossed miners' hammers.

Source: Wikipedia, "Spišská Nová Ves"

Highlights

• The long square - a spindle-shaped space nearly a kilometre end to end.
• The church tower - the tallest in Slovakia at eighty-seven metres, climbable.
• The Tatra view - the High Tatras from the tower on a clear day.
• The Slovak Paradise access - the trailheads a short drive south of the town.

When to go

April to October is the main season and when the Slovak Paradise trails are open. The tower keeps limited hours. Winter is cold and the gorge trails close.

Before you go

The town itself is workaday and most visitors use it only as a base. The tower climb is a long stair. Museums are labelled in Slovak.

Nearby

Slovak Paradise is south, and Levoca is north.

Key facts