Slovakia > Spis Castle

Spis Castle

The Spis Castle and the nearby monuments form one entity comprised of the castle overlooking the town of SpiSske Podhradie, its ward SpiSska Kapitula, and a small medieval church in the nearby village of 2ehra. All of these historical monuments are in the heart of a multiethnic Slovak region that has an exceptional concentration of quality historic relics, mostly from the Gothic period.

The Spis Castle covers an area of 4.12 hectares and is considered the largest castle in Central Europe. Its history dates back to the end of the 11* century when the Slovak territory was affiliated with Hungary. The royal castle was built gradually. A massive residential tower was built first. Adjacent to it, the present- day donjon was constructed. A Romanesque palace was added, as well as walls, two fortification systems, and around 1440, the vast lower ward was built. In the 15* century, the administrators of SpiS turned the castle complex into a splendid residence. They built a Gothic chapel and two palaces. The next owners erected new structures in Renaissance style; linking the separate buildings with an arcade corridor. After a fire in 1780 the majestic castle was neglected and slowly fell into ruin. Conservation works did not start until the 20* century when the castle was gradually made accessible to the public.

Spisski Podhradie

The town was originally founded as an extramural settlement. Its economic and cultural growth started in 1271 when the settlement was granted privileges from Hungarian King Stephen V and became a free town. There are quite a few sites in Spisske Podhradie worthy of mention: the burgher houses with large gates, the Marian Column from the 18,hcentury, Baroque buildings with unique rich interiors built between 1727 and 1736, the parish Catholic church with valuable paintings from the 16th century, and a tower that has retained Romanesque elements from the 13* century. In the Neo-Gothic Lutheran church one may admire a precious altar painting by the famous Levofa painter Jozef Czauczik.

Spissket Kapitula

It is a unique urbanistic-architectonic complex encircled by fortified walls. This medieval clerical town (sometimes called the Slovak Vatican) became the seat of the Bishop of Spi§ in 1776. It features the Episcopal Cathedral, the Episcopal Palace, the seminary and the canoes' houses decorated with small statues, paintings and coats of arms.

Kostol sv. Ducha v 2ehre (Church of the Holy Spirit In Zehra)

This church is one of the few medieval churches with known dates of their construction. According to written documents, it was built between 124гэ and 1275. The construction started in Romanesque style, but eventually, It was finished in Gothic style. This unique church is so valuable not only bee ause of Its architecture, but mainly because of its interior decoration. Almost the whole interior is covered with preserved frescos, the oldest of which date bat к to the 13th century. In particular the Tree of Life, illustrating the theologk al dot trine of Christianity on only two square meters, is valued by experts as one of the most exceptional frescos.