Things To Do in Kosice

Almost all of the major tourist attractions are along or just off of the main square, Hlavná ulica. A sensible plan is simply to start at one end of the square and slowly walk to the other, admiring the baroque, Renaissance, and neoclassical facades that line the long street on both sides. The southern end of the square possesses the most important clutch of buildings, centered on the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth (Dóm svátej Alzbety), the biggest cathedral in Slovakia and the easternmost Gothic church of its kind in Europe. Next to the cathedral on the north side is the Renaissance-style Urban's Tower (Urbanová veza). On the other side is the Chapel of St. Michael (Kaplnka svátého Michala), with its valuable relief work on the portals. The chapel is older than the cathedral and dates from around the middle of the 13th century. Just here as well you'll see the entryway to a relatively recent archaeological find called the Lower Gate (Dolná Braná). It's certainly worth poking in to take a look at the fascinating medieval fortification systems that were built here some 700 to 800 years ago.

To the north of the cathedral, walking along Hlavná, you'll see a small park, complete with the locals' pride and joy: a "singing fountain." Just beyond the fountain is another local treasure connected to music, the handsome State Theater (Státné Divadlo). The theater dates from the late 1800s and was built in the neoclassical, historical style that was so popular in Austro-Hungarian provincial capitals at the time. Farther along the square you'll see little gems here and there, hidden behind the day-to-day life of a bustling city. Be sure to take a look at the Art Nouveau facade at Hlavná 63, home to the Café Slavia and hotel of the same name.