Kežmarok was a pleasant surprise, and I think it’s worth a stop on any trip around the Spiš region. I wouldn’t miss the UNESCO-listed wooden articular church, the castle with its museum or the square lined with traditional Spiš houses. For a laugh, try the cage of shame for size: they locked me in it too.
I wrote this article in 2017. Prices, opening hours and connections may have changed since then, so check them before you go.
What is there to see in Kežmarok? I stopped here on a trip around northern Spiš and the Pieniny. To be honest, I hadn’t heard much about Kežmarok before, so I was glad to discover another lovely town in eastern Slovakia.
Tip from Milan I’d recommend booking your accommodation as early as you can, because rooms in a good location at a fair price go first. Here you’ll find accommodation offers in the area valid today.
What to see in Kežmarok
Kežmarok has a protected historic centre and even its own UNESCO World Heritage Site: the wooden Lutheran articular church. Still, what I enjoyed most was the cage of shame for bad women. They locked me in it, although I can’t say I feel like a bad woman.
Kežmarok’s main square and town centre
Walking round the square, I mostly noticed the typical Spiš houses with shingle roofs. The colourful houses caught my eye too, and they’re a big part of why I liked Kežmarok so much. Another big plus for me is the centre in full bloom, where flower beds and planters give the town a really pleasant feel. All that’s missing is a coffee at one of the cafés. I had mine at the Hotel Hviezdoslav, right in the centre. And if it rains, there’s the Iskra cinema.
TIP: For somewhere to stay nearby, try Tatragolf Mountain Resort. You can read my review of it.
The square took shape when the town hall was built in 1461. Originally Gothic, the building was later remodelled in the Renaissance style. You’ll also find the cage of shame for bad women in the centre. It appears in the town’s tax book of 1525. I posed for a photo in the cage, even though I don’t consider myself a bad woman.
TIP: When should you visit Kežmarok? Kežmarok is worth a visit at any time of year, weather permitting. If you can, though, try to time your trip for the second weekend in July. That’s when the town hosts the European Folk Craft festival (Európske ľudové remeslo, or EĽRO) every year. It carries on the tradition of the old crafts that made Kežmarok famous across Europe. The festival runs for three days.
The UNESCO-listed wooden articular church in Kežmarok
The church is a national cultural monument and joined the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008. It dates from 1717, a time without religious freedom, and its interior is Baroque. Among its most precious features is the organ from 1720, one of the oldest two-manual organs in Slovakia. The church is built in the folk Baroque style. Remarkably, it holds up to 1,500 people.
Next to it stands the New Lutheran Church, whose colourful design is sure to catch your eye too. It looks far grander, and personally I like it more.
A historical titbit: the congregation paid for the church out of its own pocket, so it was built of wood, the cheapest material available. They say Swedish sailors helped build it and left their mark on it. The top looks like an upturned ship, and some of the windows are round, like portholes.
Kežmarok’s Gothic castle and museum
The castle was built onto the town walls and helped defend the town. Today the whole site houses the exhibitions of the Kežmarok Museum. The irony is that the castle’s owners ended up fighting Kežmarok, which refused to give up its rights as a free royal town.
More things to see in Kežmarok
- Starý trh (Old Market), the oldest street in Kežmarok
- The town hall
A Slovak travel blogger who has been getting Slovaks out of their office chairs since 2013. Author of the book Influencer and founder of the Bez Mapy blog. "Bez Mapy" is Slovak for "without a map".
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