Bojnice Castle (source: Sme - Ján Krošlák)
THREE Slovak sites outside Bratislava received the Travellers’ Choice Award 2014 granted by TripAdvisor: Bojnice Castle, Spiš Castle and St Elizabeth’s Cathedral in Košice. Travelers visit the website for information and user reviews on roughly 4 million accommodation and dining facilities and tourist sites.
Bojnice Castle, operated by the Slovak National Museum, likely earned its four-and-a-half out of five points on the website due to its picturesque setting, romantic atmosphere and rich furnishings, manager Ján Papco told the TASR newswire. The castle’s exhibit includes the famous Bojnice altar, 10 panel paintings by medieval Florentine artist Nardo di Cione, a splendid chandelier and many other items collected by its last feudal owner, Ján Pálffy.
Spiš Castle offers a different experience. One of the largest castles, not just in Slovakia but also in Europe (covering 41,000 square meters), it is a great example of medieval fortification architecture. Its position on a hill overlooking the vicinity has been appreciated since Neolithic times, as findings prove, but the current castle was built in the early 12th century and remains a rare example of secular Romanesque architecture, enjoyed by filmmakers who have used it as a filming location for movies.
The third site, St Elizabeth’s Cathedral, is the easternmost Gothic cathedral in Europe, and Slovakia’s biggest church. Tourists praise its richly detailed exterior and interior, recently reconstructed as part of the European Cultural Capital (ECOC) Košice 2013 project.
Several sites in the Slovak capital, like the Blue Church, the Main Square, the Slavín war memorial, the Old Town Hall, Devín Castle, St Martin’s Cathedral and the popular ‘Čumil’ statue also made TipAdvisor’s list, the SITA newswire wrote.
