HISTORY AND PRESENT -  BARDEJOV CITY

The earliest written record dates back to 1241 and can be seen on the yellowed pages of the Ipatyiev Monastery Chro nicle. The extensive territory of "terra Bartfa" can be found in written records dating back to 1247. At the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries colonists from Silesia settled down near the settlement lying on the main communication route. In 1320 King Robert granted them exten sive rights, which speeded up the process of transformation of the chartered village "Bardejov" into a town. In 1352 the town obtained the right to hold the 8-day fair and the guarantee of freedom for all who took part in it. The safety of trade and craftsmanship and the town’s independence were protected by the town fortifications with their impregnable gates, massive turrets and water moats.


In 1365 Bardejov obtained the right of capital punishment and in 1376 King Louis I. promoted it to the status of free royal town. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the dexterousness of the Bardejov merchants and the development of craftsmanship as documented by 64 professions and more than 50 guilds, raised the town to the peak of its fame and wealth. A number of silent witnesses have been preserved from this period certifying the "Golden Age" of Bardejov. Among them are the secular and ecclesiastical buildings which even today impress the mediaval character of the town. The most precious of them is the monumental St. Egidius Church, which from the point of view of its architecture, is a part of the national heritage in Slovakia. Its 11 gothic winged altars with panel paintings have hardly any parallels in Europe. The artistic feeling and taste of the masters is also witnessed by the church interior. A special attention is attracted by the rectangular square paved with cobblestones flanked on three sides with burgher houses carrying traces of gothic and rennaissance architecture.

The 16th century was marked by the flourishing of culture, education and arts. One of the most precious buildings is the Town Hall whose construction was begun in 1505 by Master Alexander. On the original gothic foundations a renaissance superstructure with a beautiful oriel was built by Master Alexius and Master Jan of Presov. After centuries of flourishment and fame came the centuries of decline, poverty and stagnation. Plague and other epidemics, fires and wars almost destroyed the town, which was falling into disrepair both economically and socially and Bardejov was gradually becoming forgotten. But Bardejov has not been completely forgotten. In 1950 it was declared a protected city core and an intensive restoration of the cultural heritage was begun. It was for the preservation of its heritage that in 1986 Bardejov was awarded the European prize - Gold Medal – by the International Board of Trustees in Hamburg. Bardejov became the holder of this award as the first town in the CSFR.