Culture of Kosice. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Travelers are sure to enjoy a walk through the historic center of Kosice, as there is a huge number of interesting attractions. At the heart of the historic region is the Executioner's bastion. It is the high semicircular building with loopholes erected in the early 16th century. The unusual name of bastion derives from the fact that in the Middle Ages it was located next to the executioner’s house. In the first half of the 20th century, the building was repaired; the historical museum that introduces the history of Eastern Slovakia was opened there.

The St Urban's Tower is considered to be a true example of the Gothic style. Beautiful building was erected in the 14th century, and, in 1557, a huge bell weighting 7 tons was casted for it. Modern travelers can admire a replica of a huge bell, as the original was severely damaged in a fire in 1966.

The East Slovak Galery is another interesting landmark located in the beautiful palace of the late 18th century. During the history, it has repeatedly changed its purpose and witnessed several important events. In 1973, the beautiful art museum was opened in this palace. Fans of theater would appreciate the State Theater. The building housing the theater is also interesting from an architectural point of view, because it is constructed in the rare neo-baroque style. The stage of the theater is made in shape of a lyre; walls are decorated with beautiful stucco and ceiling is adorned with scenes of Shakespeare's works. This is a real temple of art. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Among the most notable religious sites, Dominican Church points out. The exact date of the founding of the church is unknown, according to one of assumptions it had opened in the late 13th century. Over the years the church has significantly changed its appearance; only Romanesque nave of the original building has preserved. The ceiling of the church is decorated with exquisite paintings, which were created in the mid-18th century.

On the highest hill St Elisabeth Minster is situated; it is the biggest cathedral in the country. The building is 60.5 meters long and 39.5 meters width. Highest north tower of the Minster elevates over 58.5 meters. Within the walls of religious place a lot of priceless religious artifacts is kept, which thousands of tourists tend to see. The hill offers a beautiful view of Kosice. Going down to it, you would run out to the central square of the town, around which there are some interesting historical buildings.

Especially attractive for tourists is the neo-Gothic Jakabov Palác built in 1899. The palace was named in honor of the architect whose project was brought to life. His name is Peter Jakab, and he is famous for its eclectic buildings. The palace creates perfect harmony with other architecture, being the real decoration of the Old Town (Staré Mesto), and in particular, Mlynská Street. Today, all kinds of interesting social events and exhibitions are organized here. It was formerly used as a presidential residence, and the British Council was based here from 1992 to 2000.

Not far from the Urban Tower (Urbanova Veža) you can find Spievajúca Fontána - one of the most beautiful landmarks in town particularly attractive for those interested in taking beautiful pictures. The fountain not only plays with light, one can even hear music along with the sound of bells, which creates a unique atmosphere. By the way, the fountain is wonderful at any time of the year - in the winter there are beautiful ice sculptures here, and in the summer it is one of the most popular meeting places among young people. It is also worth noting that Kosice has a number of beautiful sculptures delighting the eyes of connoisseurs of beautiful monuments. Most of them are erected in honor of prominent events - for example, here one can find a statue of the Marathon Runner devoted to the famous Košice Peace Marathon that was first held in 1924 or a monument to the Soviet Soldiers, the Liberators.

A significant historical monument is Miklušova Väznica, a building that had been used as a prison and torture chamber from the beginning of the 17th century to the beginning of the 19th century. Today it is a museum that keeps terrible secrets of the past. The building's reconstruction was completed in 2009. Regarding its architecture, it is worth noting that the former prison occupies two Gothic buildings and dates back to the 15th century. Any tour of the city must include a visit to Tabacka Kulturfabrik. Here, a former tobacco factory houses a concert hall, a cinema, several galleries, and workshops, being a great place to satisfy spiritual needs. At the same time, Vyhliadkova Veza Hradova is perfectly suited for getting aesthetic enjoyment. This tower offers a magnificent view of the city and its surroundings.

Near the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth (Dóm Svätej Alžbety) is another beautiful monument of sacral architecture - namely, Kaplnka Svätého Michala. It is no less remarkable than the above-mentioned shrine, its history dates back to the late 14th century when the church was built in the Romanesque style. Later, the building had been repeatedly rebuilt for various reasons - for example, one of them was a fire that occurred in 1556. Today, tourists can admire the elegant neo-romanesque building featuring magnificent frescoes and stained glass windows. Among the parks where one can have a nice time, enjoying a wonderful atmosphere of peace and admiring the scenic views, it is worth mentioning Mestsky Park and Botanická Záhrada.

Kosice has a special atmosphere that cannot be confused with any other - thanks to the many buildings inherited from the Middle Ages. One of these is Dolna Brana. This is an underground museum where the city's fortifications were located. Today it is an archaeological site, most of the finds are exhibited in the local museum Východoslovenské Múzeum. Of great interest for tourists is one more museum - namely, Slovenské Technické Múzeum, which presents the "evolution" of technology. Among its exhibits, one can see all kinds of technical devices of the past.