Kežmarok

Population: 16,380

Kežmarok is situated in the north of Slovakia in the picturesque Spiš region, beneath the High Tatras. The town originated from the amalgamation of several settlements of the original Slavic population with a settlement of German immigrants. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, more than 40 guilds operated in the town, and it ranked among the four most important towns in Slovakia. A record from 1715 states that there were 263 craft workshops in the town. Many prominent writers, artists and scientists, renowned throughout Europe, studied and worked in the town. The town’s history spanning more than seven centuries is also reflected in its architecture, which encompasses architectural styles ranging from Romanesque through Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque to Classicist. A distinctive feature is the urban layout of the square, which is fork-shaped, with the town hall situated at its centre and the town castle at the far end. Visitors to the town admire not only the castle, but also the rare medieval secondary school library at the Protestant grammar school, the wooden Protestant church listed by UNESCO (2008), the monumental Roman Catholic Basilica of the Holy Cross, the magnificent Renaissance bell tower and other monuments.

http://www.kezmarok.sk/