Slovakia is a country rich in historical, architectural and cultural artefacts and monuments which are admired each year by thousands of tourists from around the world.
SLOVAK CASTLES, RUINS, CHATEAUX AND MANSIONS
Whoever decides to visit them all, it is likely that they would find more than 100 well-preserved castles, or just their ruins, and majestic chateaus, and more than 200 mansions with their castle gardens and parks. They were built throughout different historical periods and important historical epochs. Some served as fortresses against invasions from alien forces, some on the other hand were representative or residential in nature – such as all-year-round or summer residences for various monarchs. Their thick walls would talk for very long about events that occurred within them, which often affected the course of domestic or Central European history.
CASTLES AND RUINS:
• Bojnice Castle, Trenčín Region
• Budatín Castle, Žilina Region
• Banská Štiavnica New Castle, Banská Bystrica Region
• Pezinok Castle, Bratislava Region
• Smolenice Castle, Trnava Region
• Banská Štiavnica Old Castle, Banská Bystrica Region
• Topoľčianky Castle, Nitra Region
• Zvolen Castle, Banská Bystrica Region.
• Bratislava Castle, Bratislava Region,
• Čachtice Castle, Trenčín Region
• Beckov Castle, Trenčín Region
• Červený Kameň – Red Stone Castle, Bratislava Region
• Devín Castle, Bratislava Region
• Krásna Hôrka Castle, Košice Region
• Nitra Castle, Nitra Region,
• Strecno Castle, Žilina Region
• Bzovík Fortified Monastery, Banská Bystrica Region
• Ľubovňa Castle, Prešov Region
• Levice Castle, Nitra Region
• Banská Bystrica Town Castle, Banská Bystrica Region
• Kežmarok Castle, Prešov Region
• Kremnica Town Castle, Banská Bystrica Region
• Orava Castle, Žilina Region
• Pajštún Castle, Bratislava Region
• Pustý hrad Castle, Banská Bystrica Region
• Spiš Castle, Prešov Region
• Trenčín Castle, Trenčín Region.
MANSIONS:
• Manor House in Budimír, Košice Region
• Budmerice Mansion, Bratislava Region
• Markušovce Mansion and Dardanely Summer Palace, Košice Region
• Bytča Mansion, Žilina Region
• Betliar Mansion, Košice Region
• Hanušovce Mansion, Prešov Region
• Lednické Rovne Mansion, Trenčín Region
• Mošovce Mansion, Žilina Region
• Oponice Mansion, Nitra Region
• Mansion of Strážky, Prešov Region
• Manor House in St. Anton, Banská Bystrica Region
• Rusovce Mansion, Bratislava Region
and others.
The majority of the preserved historical and architectonic monuments in Slovakia are accessible to the public. Currently they serve various purposes. The majority of them houses thematic or period museums either with permanent or travelling exhibitions within their premises. Others serve as a venue for different events. Ruins are often an integral part of tourist and nature trails, the greater majority of them is also accessible to the public.
MUSEUMS, GALLERIES, HISTORICAL LIBRARIES
Tourists are also captivated by the cultural and historical collections which are placed in Slovak museums and galleries. However, most of the museum and gallery collections are in fact situated directly in castles, chateaus and mansions or other representative premises. Some of them are:
• Slovak National Gallery (SNG), Bratislava, Bratislava Region
• Slovak National Museum (SNM), Bratislava, Bratislava and other regions
• Music Museum SNM, Bratislava, Bratislava Region
• Spiš Museum SNM, Levoča, Prešov Region
• Ethnographic Museum SNM, Martin, Žilina Region
• Ancient Gerulata Rusovce, Bratislava Region
• Archaeological Museum SNM, Bratislava, Bratislava Region
• Mining Museum, Rožňava, Košice Region
• Master Pavol’s House, Levoča, Prešov Region,
• University Library in Bratislava, Bratislava Region)
• Lyceum Library in Bratislava (Bratislava Region)
and many others.
THEATRES AND OPERA HOUSES
Extraordinary artistic and cultural experience is provided through theatrical establishments. Genres performed most often include drama, opera, ballet, operetta, musical and music concerts.
MUNICIPAL MONUMENT RESERVES – HISTORICAL TOWN CENTRES
Currently, there are approximately 2800 state protected immovable properties located in municipal monument reserves. They are mostly concentrated in the ancient mining towns that have become important particularly due to the developed mining industry, but also in other Slovak regions:
• Banská Štiavnica, Banská Bystrica Region,
• Banská Bystrica, Banská Bystrica Region,
• Bratislava, Bratislava Region,
• Nitra, Nitra Region,
• BardejovBardejov, Prešov Region,
• Spišská Kapitula, Prešov Region,
• Košice, Košice Region,
• Levoča, Prešov Region,
• Trnava, Trnava Region,
• Poprad-Spišská Sobota, Prešov Region,
• Kežmarok, Prešov Region,
• Prešov, Region,
• Trenčín, Trenčín Region,
• Kremnica, Banská Bystrica Region,
• Žilina, Žilina Region,
• Podolínec, Prešov Region,
• Svätý Jur, Bratislava Region,
• Štiavnické Bane (miner’s workings and ‘tajchy‘), Banská Bystrica Region.
RELIGIOUS AND SACRAL MONUMENTS IN SLOVAKIA
The tradition of sacral architecture is mostly linked with the arrival and spread of Christianity in the territory of present-day Slovakia, which implies that the most common and widespread type of sacral buildings are Christian churches, cathedrals, monasteries and so on. Today most of them serve not only for public religious services but also for social events. The historical range of sacral buildings is quite broad as it includes buildings from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classical periods.
• St Egidius‘ Basilica Minor in Bardejov, Prešov Region,
• St Elisabeth’s Cathedral in Košice, Košice Region,
• St Martin’s Cathedral in Bratislava, Bratislava Region,
• St Martin’s Cathedral in Spišská Kapitula, Prešov Region,
• St Jacob’s Church in Levoča, Prešov Region,
• Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church in Žehra, Košice Region,
• St Nicolas‘ Basilica in Trnava, Trnava Region,
• Červený (Lechnicky) Monastery, Prešov Region,
• Annunciation of the Lord Franciscan Church in Bratislava, Bratislava Region,
• Church of St Emeran in Nitra, Nitra Region,
• St John the Baptist Cathedral in Trnava, Trnava Region,
• Monastery and Church of the Virgin Mary of Seven Grievances in Šaštín – Stráže, Trnava Region,
• St Anthony of Padua Church in Michalovce, Košice Region,
• Evangelical Church in Kraskov, Banská Bystrica Region,
• Evangelical Church in Rimavský Brezov, Banská Bystrica Region,
• Evangelical Church, Štítnik (Košice Region),
• Gothic Chapel in Spišský Štvrtok, Prešov Region,
• Benedictine Monastery in Hronský Beňadik, Banská Bystrica Region,
• Monastery in Jasov, Košice Region,
• Franciscan Monastery with St Peter and Paul Church in Nitra, Nitra Region.
Sacral monuments in Slovakia also include wooden churches, the building of which is a long established tradition in Slovakia, especially in Eastern Slovakia.
MILITARY MEMORIALS AND CEMETERIES IN SLOVAKIA
Many tourists arriving in Slovakia are also intrigued by the various memorials and cemeteries dedicated to war heroes or events. Most of them relate to the modern history of Slovakia and are linked to the wars and military events of the last century – World Wars I and II and the Slovak National Uprising. Some memorials, however, commemorate earlier times or events:
• Red Army Memorial and Cemetery in Dukla, Prešov Region
• Slovak National Uprising Memorial and Museum in Banská Bystrica, Banská Bystrica Region
• Soviet Army Military Museum in Svidník, Prešov Region
• Milan Rastislav Štefánik Memorial on Bradlo Hill, Trnava Region
• Battle Memorial at Lamač, Bratislava Region
• East Slovakian Peasant Rebellion Memorial, Prešov Region
• Memorial to the French Partisans at Strečno, Žilina Region
• German Military Cemetery in Važec, Žilina Region.
