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THIS PUCTURE of the centre of the eastern Slovak town of Spišská Nová Ves was captured in the early part of the 20th century. The town has a very interesting history. In 1412, King Sigismund of Hungary used Spišská Nová Ves, along with twelve other towns in the Spiš region, as collateral for a loan from King Vladislaus II of Poland. It took until 1744 for the Spiš towns to return to the kingdom.
Spišská Nová Ves also has a centuries-long history as a centre for crafts, including bell-casters, gunsmiths, and especially blacksmiths. It is, therefore, not simply by chance that the Spišská Nová Ves Blacksmith Guild is the fifth oldest in the country.
Prepared by Branislav Chovan
