Bardejov Town
Bardejov Town Conservation Reserve is an intact example of a medieval town that was located on a major Central European trade route. The town was first mentioned in writing in the 13th century. It played an important role in the trading network from Baltic Sea to Black Sea.
The designated area is located inside the fortified city walls, which have been preserved for a substantial part. Landmark sights are the Gothic St. Egidius Church, the Town Hall and the dozens of burghers' houses that adorn the central square on three sides. The lay-out of the town centre is still original.
The small Jewish quarter with its Great Synagogue was later added to the nominated area on the advice of ICOMOS.
Visit May 2008
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The first view of the central square of Bardejov is really stunning. It's perfect in many ways: consistency, size, colouring, state of repair. And oh, let's not forget that pretty ensemble of the St. Egidius Cathedral and Town Hall. The whole also looks a bit out of place here in Slovakia: it could be located in Poland, (East) Germany or some Hanseatic city. It even reminded me of my home town Gouda in the Netherlands (which also has a prominent, stand alone 15th century Town Hall on its City Square).
I roamed around for a while taking in the scenery and visited the St. Egidius. The lady in charge of selling tickets (and souvenirs) did so with an attitude as if we would gain entry to the Vaticans' St. Peter's Basilica itself. This interior is less imposing though. It looks smallish and chaotic, probably because it's filled with ancient altars with panel paintings. These altars are deemed very precious but probably not to everybody's taste.
As mentioned in the review by Christer Sundberg below, restorations have been carried out very well here. It's by far the best restored site I've seen so far in Slovakia, on par with the better ones in Poland and the Baltic states. The inscribed area is rather small: the old town within the city walls plus the Jewish suburb. Bardejov is a good base though for other sights in the vicinity like Bardejov Spa and the numerous wooden churches that are scattered in the border area with Poland (a possible new / extended WHS later this year).
More photos can be found in the Picture Gallery
Reviews
Christer Sundberg (Sweden):
 Crossing over the border to Slovakia from about Tarnow in Poland brings you to the small town of Bardejov, right by the foothills of the Beskydy Mountains. Its actually not a small town with its 30.000 inhabitants but the Old Town is and could be visited in an afternoon, or as I did – enjoyed for a couple of days. There is quite enough to see and do in Bardejov including Bardejoveske Kupele, a small spa town just 4 km north of the town to last you here for a few days. In the latter you can also drink the healthy, mud-smelling mineral water and become a new man or woman overnight.
The Old Town and the World Heritage Site of Bardejov consists mainly of a rectangular square, with small two and three-story merchant’s houses on the long sides. In the middle of the square stands the beautiful Town Hall, a relic from the 15th century when trade between Poland and Russia made Bardejov a rich town. The 84 old-town houses as well as the Basilica of St Edidius was repaired between 1970 and 1990, an undertaking that alone makes up for the World Heritage appointment in my opinion.
At the time of my visit to Bardejov (2006) things was still utterly cheap in Slovakia and in Bardejov in particular. You would be quite surprised if I told you in detail about costs for accommodation and food in Bardejov. For a Scandinavian used to high prices it’s was just to enjoy and for some reason it made me feel like I was one of the Swedes robbing Bardejov blind during the Thirty Years’ War. |
| Date posted: September 2006 |
Mikael-Norge ():
Well,I´ve been there and it´s very beautiful city, with the architecture very similar to northern europe cities. Wonderfull some kind of hanza houses, with the fantastic gothic town hall and Cathedrale of St. Egidius, surrounded by amazing fortifications with many gates
If you´ll visit it, then also visit Bardejov Spa, it´s not to far away and it´s very calm and amazing place. |
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