Essential Košice
Hlavná end to end: from the Lower Gate to Peace Marathon Square via the cathedral, the theatre and the palaces.
Route map
Route stops
- 1Lower Gate
The remnants of Košice's medieval entrance gate, preserved beneath street level within an art gallery that also hosts concerts. These remains offer a glimpse into the city's medieval fortifications and defensive structures. The subterranean location provides an unusual setting to examine this important piece of Košice's architectural history.
0.2 km·3 min - 2Saint Elizabeth Cathedral
Eastern Europe's largest Gothic cathedral, Catedral de Santa Isabel took 130 years to complete, finished in 1508. Built starting from 1378, this remarkable structure features a royal crypt, an intricately carved wooden altar, and a climbable tower offering sweeping panoramic views across Košice. A striking example of late medieval ecclesiastical architecture and Slovakia's most impressive religious monument.
0.2 km·3 min - 3St Michael's Chapel
This Gothic funerary chapel, built between 1340 and 1380, ranks as Košice's second-oldest structure. Inside, you'll find an underground ossuary, an altar dedicated to San Miguel, and well-preserved medieval frescoes. The chapel also houses the city's earliest municipal coat of arms. What to see: it forms an impressive monumental complex alongside the cathedral and Urbano Tower, making it essential viewing for anyone interested in Košice's medieval heritage.
0.2 km·3 min - 4Urbanova Tower
This tower, built between the 14th and 15th centuries, originally served as the bell tower for the Cathedral of Saint Elizabeth. It houses a bell cast in 1557 and forms part of a monumental ensemble designated as a National Monument, alongside the cathedral and the Chapel of Saint Michael. Worth visiting when exploring Košice's medieval core.
0.1 km·2 min - 5Old Town Hall
Late-Baroque palace (1779) on Main Street, city hall until 1927; now the mayor's ceremonial reception hall.
0.1 km·1 min - 6Košice State Theatre
The State Theatre of Košice is a striking neo-baroque building that opened in 1899, boasting interior paintings inspired by Shakespeare. This cultural venue hosts a varied programme of opera, ballet and theatre performances, with reasonably priced tickets available. The theatre's façade is particularly impressive after dark, when it's spectacularly illuminated, making it a notable landmark in the city's evening landscape.
0.1 km·2 min - 7Plague Column (Košice)
This Baroque column, erected in 1723, stands as Košice's thanksgiving to the Virgin Mary for deliverance from the plague epidemic of 1709-1710. A striking architectural landmark typical of Central Europe, it remains one of the city's most distinctive features and an important historical monument commemorating the end of a devastating period.
0.1 km·1 min - 8Andrássy Palace
Neo-Baroque palace from 1898 on Main Street, the city's showiest; houses a historic café.
0.1 km·1 min - 9Franciscan Church (St Anthony of Padua Seminary Church)
Second-oldest church in Košice (14th c., Baroque remodel); seminary church since 1804.
0.4 km·6 min - 10Peace Marathon Square
The Peace Marathon Square in Košice commemorates one of Europe's oldest marathons, held annually since 1924. Located here is the Museum of Eastern Slovakia, which offers insight into the region's history and cultural heritage. The square serves as a focal point for visitors wanting to explore both the sporting legacy and local attractions of this historic Slovak city.
