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15 Best Things to Do in Košice (Slovakia)

Amateur historians will be in dreamland in Košice, Slovakia’s beguiling second city in the east of the country. There’s an impossible amount of noteworthy sights to get through in the Historic Centre, but the good news is that they’re all packed tightly in the space of a few streets.

Most of your attention will be on Hlavná Ulica (Main Street), which splits into two parallel branches that skirt the big monuments like the Gothic ensemble of the Cathedral, Urban Tower and St Michael Chapel. This is just the first step on a journey that will lead you through a medieval dungeon, a singing fountain, an opera house with low-cost seats, and bring you to a record-breaking brilliant stash of gold at the East Slovak Museum.

Let’s explore the best things to do in Košice :

1. Hlavná Ulica (Main Street)

All of Košice’s historic monuments are concentrated onto one glorious street.

In the north, at the Immaculata monument, the street breaks off into two parallel branches.

On the outer edge of the street are stately palaces, municipal buildings and townhouses.

On the inside are the city’s main sights, all in a line and interspersed with squares, fountains and little parks,. The cathedral, Urban Tower, State Theatre and St Michael Chapel are all here, so you can jump from one incredible monument to the next.

Hlavná Ulica is part of Slovakia’s largest historic centre, and you can duck down the side streets where more churches, museums and old-time restaurants await.

2. St Elisabeth Cathedral

With pride of place on Hlavná Ulica is the westernmost Gothic cathedral in Europe, and also Slovakia’s largest place of worship, begun in 1378. The cathedral is unusual as its north portal, rather than its west or south, is the one that is most ornamented.

Pause beneath the relief in the tympanum showing people arriving at the gates of heaven, the last judgment and Christ on the cross.

Also go around to the south facade, where above the main window is a sun dial from 1477. Inside, the frescos are also from the 15th century, as is the sensational double spiral staircase leading to the King’s Oratory.

There’s tons of detail to get through, but make time for the the crypt of Hungarian national hero Francis II Rákóczi, and go up the 60-metre church tower for a view to remember.

3. Urban’s Tower

Next to the cathedral is its former campanile, which was raised during the 15th century.

These days the inside holds a small waxwork exhibition of famous people from Košice’s past.

Urban’s Tower is also in the Gothic style, but with little extras added down the years like the portal, which was carved in the 17th century, and the arcades on the corners from the beginning of the 20th century.

These protect historic ledger stones from the 1300s and 1400s, which were embedded into the tower’s stonework after being removed from the cathedral.

The tower’s original bell was cast in 1557 and weighs seven tons.

It was damaged in a fire in the 1960s and after it was restored it was placed in front of the tower as a monument.

4. St Michael Chapel

The last of the ensemble of Gothic monuments clustered around the cathedral is this lovely chapel constructed in 1300s.

Found where the city’s cemetery used to be, it was initially an ossuary dedicated to St Michael, the patron saint of the deceased, and like Urban’s Tower it has ledger stones in its outer walls going back to the 1370s.

In the 17th century it became known as the “Slovak Church “, as it was the only place of worship where masses would be conducted in the Slovak language.

Despite its small size the chapel has all the attributes of a church, including a sacristy, oratory and choir.

At the entrance to sacristy you can find the oldest known depiction Košice’s coat of arms, dating to the 14th century.

5. Immaculata (Plague Pillar)

In a little fenced enclosure at the upper end of Hlavná Ulica is Košice’s elaborate plague pillar.

It’s a Baroque Marian column, capped with a sculpture of the Virgin and erected in the 1720s to praise her for ending the plague epidemic that had hit Košice in 1709-10. Around the pedestal are statures of St Sebastian, St Ladislaus and St Joseph.

And greeting you on the plinths that punctuate the fence are St Margaret, Archangel Gabriel, St Margaret, St Barbara, St Michael and Elizabeth of Hungary, all added later.

6. State Theatre

Košice’s striking Neo-Baroque opera house is also on Hlavná Ulica and replaced the first theatre which went back to 1756. It was designed by the German-Hungarian Adolf Lang who specialised in that bold Historicist style and contributed many grand monuments throughout Hungary.

In the lavish auditorium, tilt your head back to see the painstaking detail of the gilded stuccowork and frescos of scenes from Shakespeare’s tragedies.

You can ask for a tour at the entrance during the day, but you might as well just come by in the evening to watch an opera or ballet as tickets are absurdly cheap.

7. Mikluš Prison

On an alley off Hlavná Ulica is a compound of two medieval houses, which in the early 1600s were converted into Košice’s city prison.

It’s strange to think that for 350 years before that point these had been everyday homes.

The prison is a testament to the city’s harsh penal system, in which over 60 crimes were punishable by execution.

Inside, you’ll watch a video about the prison and Košice’s development down the centuries.

With the help of an audioguide you’ll tour the cells and will go down into the creepy torture chamber.

You can also visit the executioner’s quarters where the swords that put people to death are exhibited.

8. Levočský Dom

Right by the State Theatre on Hlavná Ulica is Slovakia’s oldest inn, which has stood here since the 15th century.

For almost all that time it has been in the hospitality business, and owned by some of the most important figures in the city.

One event that happened here was the wedding reception for Gabriel Prince Bethlen of Transylvania and Catherine of Brandenburg in March 1626. The inn’s only hiatus came in the 17th century when it was granted to the Jesuits who turned it into a pharmacy for a few decades.

You’ll recognise the inn by its elegant bay window, which has Košice coat of arms between the mullions.

9. Beggar’s House

Overlooking the Immaculata is a gorgeous Art Nouveau house dated to 1898, and one of the prettiest in the Košice.

Just under the gable there’s a mural of Elizabeth of Hungary and above it is a statue of a beggar, doffing his cap to people on the street below.

According to legend this career beggar got rich from the generosity of the citizens, and never had to pay tax from the money he received as gifts.

So with all his earnings he could afford to build a house here, in the most prestigious part of the city.

10. Old Town Hall

As good a place as any to start your visit to Košice, the Old Town Hall now hosts the city’s visitor centre and tourist office.

This fine building was finished in 1780 at the transition from Baroque to Neoclassical.

An interesting piece of trivia is that the Russian field marshal Mikhail Kutuzov stayed here on his way home after the defeat to Napoleon’s army in the Battle of Austerlitz.

In the imposing pediment on the facade is an elaborate rendition of the city’s coat of arms.

The visitor centre is on the ground floor and has a shop and small exhibition about the city.

Across the town hall’s courtyard is the Slovan Cinema, dating to 1927 and now used for concerts and plays.

11. Košice Gold Treasure

One of the first things you might read about Košice is its gold treasure.

It is the largest single hoard of gold in Slovakia, and one of the largest in the whole world.

This stash was found by chance while excavating the foundations of the Finance Directorate in 1935, and contains coins from 16 different regions in Europe.

The treasure dates to the 17th, and is made up of 2,920 gold coins, two gold medals and an exquisite gold chain.

Since 1970 it has been in the vault of this plush Neo-Renaissance museum, a few streets up from Hlavná Ulica.

12. New Orthodox Synagogue

On Puškinova Street, a couple of streets east of the cathedral, is the city’s active synagogue.

Dating to 1927, it’s the largest in Slovakia, with a capacity for 800 worshippers.

The Neoclassical facade has local historical elements like a cornice in a style often seen in Renaissance buildings in Eastern Slovakia.

By the entrance see the plaque in memory of Košice’s 12,000 Jewish citizens sent to the concentration camps in the Second World War.

More than 2,000 were actually held captive inside the synagogue, and some left graffiti in pencil on the walls.

13. Church of the Holy Trinity

For a time in the 16th and 17th centuries Košice was a protestant city.

But following the Thirty Years’ War in the mid-1600s it was in Catholic Habsburg hands.

This Baroque church was part of that Counter-Reformation spirit and was built for the Jesuits by the city as an apology for a massacre of Jesuit priests that took place in Košice during the war.

The magnificent church is richly decorated in the Baroque style and has trompe l’oeil murals, gilded altars in the side chapels and delicate carvings on the pulpit and pews.

14. Singing Fountain and Chimes

The main square (Hlavné Námestie) has a small park encircled by tall fir trees.

At the centre is a fountain with dozens of jets that perform a little show in time to classical and pop music piped through speakers around the square.

It’s a fun diversion for a few minutes while you’re taking a break on the benches or tucking into an ice cream.

The show stops on the hour for the square’s carillon to chime and then resumes.

Drop by at night as the fountain is even prettier in lights.

15. Tabačka Kulturfabrik

It’s worth breaking away from the medieval centre to see another, grittier side to Košice which has a young, arty atmosphere.

This is epitomised by the Tabačka Kulturfabrik, a cultural centre in a repurposed tobacco factory built at the end of the 19th century.

If you’re up for some live music there are bands or DJ sets most nights, and a lively program of temporary art exhibitions and cinema screenings.

The rest of the time you could hang out at the bar/restaurant which has cheap Pilsner Urquell on tap.

15 Best Things to Do in Košice (Slovakia):

• Hlavná Ulica (Main Street)
• St Elisabeth Cathedral
• Urban's Tower
• St Michael Chapel
• Immaculata (Plague Pillar)
• State Theatre
• Mikluš Prison
• Levočský Dom
• Beggar's House
• Old Town Hall
• Košice Gold Treasure
• New Orthodox Synagogue
• Church of the Holy Trinity
• Singing Fountain and Chimes
• Tabačka Kulturfabrik

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Equal parts pretty and gritty, Košice captures attention with its old town, a jewellery box of Gothic towers, medieval bastions and baroque sculpture. The pride of Eastern Slovakia's largest city is its central square, which boasts the country's greatest concentration of historic monuments.

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How to Spend 24 Hours in Košice, Slovakia

Visited: July 2019

Košice is the second-largest city in Slovakia (after Bratislava) and the main city in the eastern part of the country. After visiting Budapest , we wanted to hike the High Tatras along the Slovakia/Poland border, and Košice was a convenient stop along the way. We spent about 48 hours in Košice, but the Old Town could also be seen in 24 hours if you are on a tighter schedule. If you decide to stop in this lovely city for one night, here are our ideas for how to spend your time.

Our itinerary: We arrived on FlixBus from Budapest around 3 p.m. on Monday, and our bus to Zdiar left at 3:40 p.m. on Wednesday. The bus line we took continues on all the way to Krakow, so Košice would also make a good stopping point between Budapest and Krakow.

Afternoon/Evening

After arriving in Košice and checking into your accommodations, we’ll assume it’s around 5 p.m. Head to Old Town to begin exploring.

Climb the bell tower at St. Elisabeth Cathedral.

For a small fee of 2 euros per person, you can climb all 158 steps up to the top of the bell tower at the cathedral [far right in the top photo]. The steps are quite narrow, but there are beautiful views of the city from the top [feature photo]. I also enjoyed getting an up-close look at the colorful tiles adorning the roof of the cathedral [pictured above]. It took us about 20 minutes to do this activity, including climbing up, taking photos at the top, and descending.

Try Slovakia’s national dish at Med Malina.

For dinner, walk across the square to Med Malina and try Slovakia’s national dish: bryndzové halušky (potato dumplings in sheep’s cheese). The bryndzové halušky at Med Malina has bacon, chives and sour cream on top. Yum!

Relax at the singing fountain.

After dinner, grab an ice cream or a drink and find a seat near the singing fountain (located in the park between the cathedral and the State Theater). Be sure to stay at least until the hour changes; there is always music playing for the fountain, but on each hour, a chorus of bells joins in.

Breakfast at Pogo Urban Caffe.

I still dream about the savory pancake breakfast at Pogo Urban Caffe [above left]. Seriously. I ordered the sheep’s cheese (bryndza) pancakes, which also came with bacon, chives and egg. (So, basically my dinner from the night before, but on pancakes instead of dumplings.) The interior of the cafe is also adorable [above right]. (We also had a tasty breakfast at Republika Východu if you want to compare both menus for your preference.)

Go on a GuruWalk with Lubka.

At the time of our visit (July 2019), there was not an organized free walking tour in Košice. However, we were able to find a free walking tour on GuruWalk . Our guide, Lubka , was absolutely lovely and a great introduction to the city! We were the only people who had signed up for our particular day, so we got a private tour. It started at 10 a.m. and lasted for about an hour and a half.

Peruse the market in front of the Dominican Church.

On the tour, Lubka will probably walk you by the outdoor market in front of the Dominican Church. Now would be a good time to check it out (or visit any of the other neat places Lubka pointed out along the way).

Enjoy a traditional lunch at Karczma Mlyn.

Karczma Mlyn is another traditional Slovak restaurant located on the main square. The interior is cozy with sheepskin throws and an alpine vibe, but we chose to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine. We highly recommend the garlic soup served in a “Bosnian pot” a.k.a. bread bowl! We ordered the soup and a plate of dumplings to share, but honestly, we could have just shared the soup.

Shop (or window shop) on Old Craftsman Row.

This is another spot Lubka pointed out on our tour. Located slightly off the main Old Town strip, this is the place to go if you want to purchase authentic, handmade souvenirs or gifts. There are small metal disks in the ground in front of each shop to indicate what goods are produced and sold there (e.g. a purse for the leather shop).

People-watch with a drink until it’s time to catch your bus.

Choose one of the many cafes along Old Town and nurse a drink (or two) until it’s time to head back to the station. You may also want to spend some time photographing the pretty pastel buildings that line the main strip.

And now, it’s time to catch your next bus (or train)! We hope you enjoyed Košice as much as we did. And of course, if you have more time in Košice (or are interested in different things than we are), the city offers much more to do than what we’ve listed here. This is only the beginning.

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Megan is a librarian by training, currently on a journey around the world with her husband, Jonathan. She enjoys visiting bookstores, libraries and coffeeshops while traveling.

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• April 18, 2024 Setlist

Zheani Setlist at Tabačka Kulturfabrik, Košice, Slovakia

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Rambles with Milan Kolcun

Live through the untraditional stories by the tour guide legend of the city. Milan Kolcun has worked with city tours for around two decades now. A host, writer, local celebrity, and shiny outfit enthusiast will have your attention in a second. And even more, when talking about the city’s funky history, dramatical events, or basically any other spiced up with a bit of his humor.

Attend his regular Rambles Around Košice taking place every first weekend of the month in any weather. Check out potulka.sk for the upcoming topics and dates. 

Tip: Book your Mystification of Košice tour and explore the Košice Universe Program or the non-existent city subway.

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Slovaks Buy Bullets For Ukraine In Defiance Of Russia-friendly PM

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Slovaks have raised hundreds of thousands of euros for ammunition for Ukraine in a few days as part of a crowdfunding campaign, the organisers said Wednesday, in defiance of a government that has refused to send military aid to Kyiv.

Thousands of people have already contributed 750,000 euros ($798,000) since Monday, when the "Peace for Ukraine" group launched the initiative, organisers said.

Since coming to power last year, populist Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has stopped military aid to Ukraine and advocated for peace talks with Russia.

"We, the residents of Slovakia, want to and can help," said Zuzana Izsakova, a representative of the fundraising initiative.

"We want to show that it is not only the government and Robert Fico who decide on this matter," she told AFP.

The organisation hoped to raise one million euros and plans to funnel all of the money to an international initiative spearheaded by the Czech Republic to buy ammunition for Ukraine.

The Czech prime minister said Tuesday that 20 countries had pledged enough to buy 500,000 artillery shells for Ukraine outside Europe.

The Slovak government has not joined the initiative.

One of the donors, Tomas Benetin, cited that as his main motive to contribute.

"I wanted the world to know that Slovakia does not only consist of pro-Kremlin politicians," the 36-year-old from Kosice told AFP.

In recent months, Fico has made a number of inflammatory comments over Russia's invasion, questioning Ukraine's sovereignty and calling for Kyiv to cede territory to Moscow to end the war -- something Ukraine has repeatedly ruled out.

Earlier this month, Fico's longtime ally Peter Pellegrini won a presidential election in the EU and NATO member of 5.4 million people, after divisions over the Ukraine war dominated the vote.

Marian Kulich, a representative of "Peace for Ukraine", said the crowdfunding campaign was born out of opposition to the government's stance on Ukraine.

"We are convinced that many people in Slovakia do not identify with the rejection of the Czech government's initiative," Kulich told AFP.

Izsakova said the group wanted to match the one million euro ($1.05 million) donated by the Slovenian government last month.

One supporter of the Slovak crowdfunding campaign is Holocaust survivor Otto Simko, who said his own wartime experiences could be applied to events in Ukraine.

The 99-year-old former journalist took part in the 1942 Slovak National Uprising, an attempt to resist German troops during World War II.

"We fought the aggressor, the German occupation... It was impossible to negotiate with them, they had to be defeated," Simko said in a campaign video for the ammunition initiative.

"If I can only give 20 euros to buy one single bullet, I will know that this bullet is in the right hands," he added.

Another supporter of the fundraising initiative, filmmaker Pavol Pekarcik, pleaded for donations having spent months in the war-torn Ukraine shooting documentaries.

"The feeling of helplessness is probably the worst thing a person can experience in their life," he said in a video message promoting the campaign.

"This is how we can help the Ukrainian defenders so that when someone shoots at them, they don't have empty hands," Pekarcik added.

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Cycle tour from Prague to Kosice (Slovakia) - Czech Republic Forum

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Cycle tour from Prague to Kosice (Slovakia)

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My current proposed itinerary from some quick research is as below. I would appreciate any thoughts on how it could be improved. I was wondering a few things:

- If we should stay further south on the first night to enable us to cycle through the Zdarski Mountains / equally if a more direct route further north in Czechia generally might be worth it to allow us to take a more scenic route through Slovakia?

-Would day 4 along the river Vah be scenic or a slog? Should I tweak the itinerary to take a more arduous but more scenic route through the hills to the north.

Our preferences are nice scenery and quiet roads. Up to 80 miles/ 130 km per day with plenty of climbing is fine. We generally like to stay in towns or villages but small cities are fine as long as they're worth visiting.

Day 1: Prague to Pardubice

Day 2: Krtiny (near Brno )

Day 3: Luhacovice (via Kromeriz)

Day 4: Zilina (either via Vsetin/ Velke Karlovice or over the border and up the river)

Day 5: Strbske Pleso

Day 6: Kosice

I don't know about the other sections, but Žilina - Štrbské pleso and Štrbské pleso - Košice in two days sounds very ambitious to me! Also there might be a couple of issues (not only) along the River Váh, as the direct route is, I think, out of bounds for bicycles as it is partly motorway, and would involve some hefty cross-country cycling to get round it. I suppose you have done your research, though, and you are familiar with this map of cycle routes https://www.oma.sk/cykloatlas

Many Czechs and Slovaks are passionate cyclists and there are clubs all over both countries with English-speaking members, it may be worth contacting them for better information as I doubt you would get a definitive response on here - here is a list of Czech clubs https://tinyurl.com/58ke56w3

and Slovak contacts https://www.cyklistikaszc.sk/sk/lang/english

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