Košice Heritage Site

€20 silver collector coin

Košice, the second biggest city of Slovakia, developed into a town in the 13th century owing to its location at a crossing of trade routes in the Hornád river basin. By the end of the century Košice was an established medieval town surrounded by stone walls. In the 14th century the town was granted a royal charter and saw work begin on St Elisabeth’s Cathedral, the huge Gothic landmark that would come to dominate its extended lenticular square. The cathedral’s reredos triptych dates back to the last quarter of the 15th century and is among the largest of its type in Europe. Standing next to the cathedral are a separate bell tower (Urban’s tower) and St Michael’s chapel, which was originally a charnel house. The size and importance of the medieval town are evident from the local monastic buildings. Indeed the oldest preserved church in the city was established as part of a Dominican monastery. The town is home to numerous baroque and classical palaces as well as burger houses, many of which still have their original medieval cellars. At the end of the 19th century the spectacular Reduta building and theatre were built in the main square. In 1983 the city and its historical core was declared a historical preservation area. In a first for any Slovak city, Košice has been chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2013 by the European Council.