WELCOME TO KOŠICE

The capital of the Kosice self-governing region is the city Kosice. The settlements in the Kosice basin belong to the oldest in Slovakia. In the city part Barca the oldest paleolithic village in Europe more than 80 000 years old was discovered. The first written mention concerning the city Kosice is from 1143. Thanks to position of Kosice on the crossroads of important commercial routes the development of commerce and crafts has started. In 1347 the town received the same civic privileges as Buda. In 1369 Kosice as the first town in Europe was granted by the king Ludovicus the Great the right to use its own coat of arms.In 1804 Kosice became the seat of a bishopric. The importance of the town increased particularly in the times of the Czechoslovak Republic after the East Slovak Steel Works have been constructed. At present the town is the second largest town in the Slovak Republic. The famous history of the town is evidenced especially by monumental buildings in the historical center which has received the status of the historical town reservation. The most important of them is St. Elizabeth's Cathedral - the easternmost gothic cathedral in Europe. Its construction has been completed in 1508. Five naves 60 meters long and 45 meters wide are abundantly decorated by gothic sculptures and pictures. The main two-winged altar from 15th century is one of the biggest gothic altars in Europe. In St. Elizabeth's Cathedral the sarcophagus of the leader of the anti-Habsburg uprising Franciscus Rakoczi II is also located, who also has memorial house in this city, the exact copy of the house in the Turkish town Rodoshto, where this exiled Hungarian hero died. The gothic St. Michael's chapel from 14th century is situated to the south of St. Elizabeth's Cathedral. Originally it functioned as a cemetery chapel. Some 17 tombstones, the oldest one dating from 1375, are placed in the external walls of this chapel to remind us of this function of the chapel.The renaissance 45 meters high Urban Tower is located to the north of St. Elizabeth's Cathedral. It was dedicated to the patron saint of grape growers, because particularly wine business provided a very important stimulus to the development of Kosice in medieval times. The name of St. Urban was also given to the legendary 7 ton bell cast in the year 1557, which was hanging inside this tower until the fire of 1966, when it fell down and broke to pieces. The history of medieval Kosice is documented in the museum, which was opened in the so called Miklus prison. In its cellar the entrance to the historical underground passages is located. There are numerous buildings outside the town center which also deserve attention, such as Jakab's palace, which served as a residence of the president of the Czechoslovak Republic in April and May 1945.