Kosice is an old town. Unlike his peers, he managed to preserve his history not only in the annals, but also in reality. Wars, geopolitical changes and even epidemics have not been able to erase his legacy from the face of the earth. A large number of Kosice attractions are located around the Main Street. First of all, these are architectural objects. With some changes, buildings of the XIII-XVII centuries have survived to this day.
If you move a little away from Kosice, then tourists will discover the other side of the area - natural beauty. For example, the Slovak Paradise is one of the most interesting national parks in the country. Its Dobsinska Ice Cave is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are about 350 more caves, waterfalls, canyons and hills in the area. And, no less important, the possibilities for their comfortable examination.
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What to see and where to go in Kosice?
The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.
The main street
In the south and north, it adjoins the Liberators and Peace Marathon squares, respectively. The main city attractions are concentrated here. There are three parks with fountains. Most of the street is a pedestrian zone. The total number of architectural monuments exceeds a hundred. They belong to different periods of development, and you can even see traces of medieval heritage inside the buildings.
Cathedral of St. Elizabeth of Hungary
The largest Gothic temple in Slovakia. The construction was carried out for over a hundred years and was completed in 1508. Tourists have access to the bell tower. A breathtaking view of the city opens up from a height of 59 meters. One of the main values is the altar dated 1477. It is decorated with a painting depicting 48 scenes. The area of the cathedral includes the tower of St. Urban and the Church of St. Michael the Archangel.
Church of St. Michael the Archangel
It was built as a chapel in the XIV century and belonged to the Dome Cathedral. There was a cemetery nearby in the past. It was closed several centuries ago, and the area around it was transformed into a park. It is believed that it has not changed since the 18th century. In 2006, the current status of the church was obtained. At the same time, repairs took place. As a result, the authors of the project received a prize for the best renovated building of the year.
Tower of Saint Urban
Forms a single architectural composition together with the Church of St. Michael the Archangel and the Cathedral of St. Helena of Hungary. The complex is recognized as a historical monument. Construction was carried out at the turn of the XIV-XV centuries. Initially, the tower served as a bell tower. One of the bells was restored after the fire and installed in front of the entrance. Now the tower houses an exposition of the wax museum.
Plague Column
An unusual monument was erected in 1723 at the place where executions were carried out in the past. It is dedicated to the victims of the plague epidemic. C. Grimming and L. Thornissi were responsible for the project. The composition consists of many elements and is full of symbolism. It is crowned with a sculpture of the Virgin Mary. The height reaches 14 meters. During the war, the column was damaged, the restoration was delayed for several decades and took place in two stages.
Kosice State Theater
The main building was built in the neo-baroque style at the end of the 19th century. The facade is decorated with theatrical sculptures. Nearby is the Small Hall, made in the Art Nouveau style. The first performances were presented to the public in 1899. They were performed in Hungarian. Nowadays, the theater's repertoire includes not only dramatic plays, but also ballets, operas and operettas. The Singing Fountain is installed in front of the entrance.
"Singing Fountain"
The oldest building of this kind on the territory of the former Czechoslovakia. The history of the fountain is directly connected with the Russian city of Vladimir. It was there that a patent was obtained for the creation of this attraction. And already in 1986, the fountain took its place near the entrance to the building of the Kosice State Theater. In the 90s, the design was updated, adding more features, including modern lighting.
East Slovak Museum
The oldest museum in the country opened its doors to visitors in 1872. The collection occupies an impressive area in a building built at the beginning of the last century. The facade is decorated with images of mythical heroes. The exposition tells about the history of the region from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages. The most interesting exhibit is a gold bar weighing 11 kg - the so-called "Kosice gold reserve".
East Slovak Gallery
Year of foundation - 1951. The building where the gallery is located was built in the 18th century. Its initial style is Baroque. However, about a century later, during the reconstruction, the appearance has changed a lot. There are three main exhibitions at the moment: painting of the 19th century in Eastern Slovakia, Slovak graphics of the 20th century and art of the 20th century in Eastern Slovakia. Temporary exhibitions are held regularly.
Slovak Technical Museum
Started working in 1947. The funds amount to 14 thousand storage units and began to be collected 4 years before the opening of the museum. The exposition tells about the development of science and technology in the country. It covers several areas and disciplines, including cinema, astronomy, and pottery. The building of the museum is connected with the story of Beat Lask, the first tourist in the world who went on a hike in the Tatras.
Miklushov prison
Two houses in the Gothic style were built in the 15th century. Later they were united into one whole and a pottery workshop was opened here. In the 17th century, after a new restructuring, prisoners began to be kept in the houses. In addition to the chambers and guard rooms, there was a torture room inside. After the reconstruction, Miklushov prison entered the museum complex. The main themes of the exposition are justice and criminal law of the Middle Ages.
Yakab's palace
The majestic building appeared on the streets of Kosice in 1899. Initially, it stood by a stream, but now a modern track runs nearby. The palace managed to be a family nest, headquarters and embassy. Now its halls are hosting official events. Since the palace was nationalized after the war, the previous owners believe that the property was taken illegally. Courts and disputes over the right to a landmark are still ongoing.
Old town hall
It acquired its current appearance at the turn of the 70-80s of the 18th century. Previously, there were two buildings on the same site, built several centuries ago and combined into one. The facade is decorated with stucco moldings and statues of ancient characters. A memorial plaque is installed on the town hall: Kutuzov came here for several days. Now the premises are given over to the information center, and are also used for presentations and social events.
Monument "Coat of arms of Kosice"
Since Kosice is the first city in Europe to receive its own coat of arms, this fact could not but be noted. In 1369, the coat of arms was granted to local residents by Louis I. The commemorative event was immortalized in 2002, when a monument was erected in the park. It is a sculpture of an angel with outstretched wings. On the shield that he holds, the coat of arms is depicted. The total height with the pedestal is more than 4.5 meters.
Kosice Zoo
In terms of size, it is one of the three zoological gardens of the Old World. It has existed since 1979. Initially, the zoo was not planned to be large. It was supposed to be home to Central European animals. But gradually the diversity increased: 1200 inhabitants, belonging to 140 different species, at the moment. The area of the zoo is over 288 hectares. At the same time, no more than a third of the territory is available to visitors.
Botanical Garden
The largest botanical garden in the country. The area is about 30 hectares. The total number of plant species is about 4 thousand. Visitors began to enter the territory in 1950.Interesting collections include cacti, orchids and carnivorous plants. Exhibitions and festivals are regularly held, where they are demonstrated in all their glory. In addition to educational work, employees are engaged in research here.
City Park
In the past centuries, there were gardens on the site of the park. They changed depending on the owners. For a short time there was a balneological resort here. Subsequently, separate baths, sports grounds were built, the infrastructure necessary for recreation was installed. There are several monuments in the park. In addition, the water complex, equipped with a 50-meter swimming pool, deserves attention.
Spissky Castle
Located outside Kosice. Since it is one of the most popular tourist sites in the country, excursions are regularly carried here from different cities. The fortress was built in the XII century. The area of the territory is about 4 hectares. Only part of it is open to the public. The castle houses a museum of medieval weapons and armor. Since 1996, the site has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Yasovskaya cave
Located within the Slovak Karst National Park. The first cave in the country, where tourists began to be allowed on a permanent basis. Visitors have access to 720 meters out of a total length of 2811 meters. The interior objects are remarkable for several reasons: limestone layers give rise to bizarre shapes, the halls have several levels, and underground waterfalls are encountered. It is home to 19 species of bats.
Slovak paradise
The national park was founded in 1988. The name was given in honor of the mountain range, which is being preserved here. The area is a little less than 200 km². There are various natural attractions on the territory. For example, the 70-meter waterfall Zavojovi, Havranja-Skala, which is 1152 meters high, Dobsinska Ice Cave. There are 300 km of hiking trails in the park.
