| Registration Classification | cultural heritage |
| Registration Criteria | (4) |
| Year of registration | 1993 |
Spišský Castle, located in the eastern part of Slovakia, is a vast fortress built to defend against invading Tatars from the east, and is a typical example of an Eastern European settlement of the 13th and 14th centuries. In 2009, the surrounding town of Levoča and the settlement were additionally registered, each with many Gothic and Baroque style buildings.
Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why the Levoča, Spišský Hrad and the Associated Cultural Monuments are World Heritage Sites. Read this and you will definitely learn more about Levoča and Spišský Castle!
What is the Levoča, Spišský Hrad and the Associated Cultural Monuments?
In medieval Europe, settlements with military facilities, urban functions, and religious institutions such as churches can be found everywhere, but few retain their original appearance. However, the structures here were formed in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance, and even those built in the Romanesque and Gothic styles at Spišský Castle are still extant. The Spišský Castle even has surviving Romanesque and Gothic structures, all of which indicate that this was the political, religious, and cultural center of Eastern Europe.
The main registered properties are
Spišský Castle（Spišský Hrad）
Once the largest castle in Eastern Europe, it was built in the 12th century and remodeled many times, adding Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture to the Romanesque cathedral. after a fire in the 18th century, it fell into ruins.However, in 1961, it was registered as a cultural monument and protected, and in 1993 it was added to the World Heritage List!
Spišský Podhradžije
The town is located at the foot of Spišský Castle. Although the town prospered due to the textile industry and other industries, a fire that broke out in the 16th century left many of the structures rebuilt in the Renaissance style.
Spišská Kapitula
Although built as a residential area for the clergy, the town grew in size and is now large enough to annex Spišské Podhradie. The town also includes St. Martin’s Monastery, the bishop’s cathedral of the Spiš region, and is still visited by many people today. The town’s buildings are based on the Romanesque style and have been reconstructed in Gothic and Baroque styles.
Jefra
A small village where the Holy Spirit Cathedral with its onion-shaped roof remains. The Romanesque and Gothic style cathedral was built in the 13th century and is a symbol of the village.
Levoča
Located about 40 km west of Spišský Castle, this town was formed between the 13th and 14th centuries and has a well-preserved church and town hall. The parish cathedral of St. James is a particularly large structure, known for its magnificent wooden altar, created by a sculptor named Master Paul. The city walls surrounding the town also show the appearance of medieval times.
For what reason are theLevoča, Spišský Hrad and the Associated Cultural Monuments on the World Heritage List?
Levocha and Spišský Castle were evaluated by
Registration Criteria (iv)
The fact that the military, religious, and cultural facilities used since the Middle Ages are very well preserved in this area.
World Heritage Mania Conclusion and Impressions
This is a vast World Heritage site, with everything from castles to churches to towns, and it is the only place in Europe today where the entire collection is so perfectly preserved.
Although Spišský Castle is now full of medieval atmosphere, life in the castle was not comfortable, and the owners eventually moved away from the castle to the town in the 18th century.And after the fire, no one lived in the castle and it was left in ruins, so it is a pity that it was still difficult to live there….In fact, medieval castles were cold and had poor sanitation, and it seems that the general perception was that they were “unlivable properties,” and that they did not offer the fairy-tale lifestyle of a Disney movie.
*The contents here are considerations derived through research by World Heritage enthusiasts. As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the medium.
