Spiš Museum in Levoča: Historic Town Hall and Minorite Monastery

The Spiš Museum (SNM – Spišské múzeum) is a branch of the Slovak National Museum that cares for the heritage of historic Spiš. In Levoča – a town whose historic centre is on the UNESCO list together with Spiš Castle – the museum occupies several buildings on and around Master Paul Square (Námestie Majstra Pavla). The main one is the Historic Town Hall (Historická radnica), one of the most striking buildings on the square next to the Basilica of St James. It probably dates from the 15th century, was rebuilt many times and acquired its present look – with arcades and Renaissance attics – after the reconstruction of 1893–1895.

It is worth going in to understand what Levoča was in the past: a free royal town at a crossroads of trade routes, home to busy guilds and to Master Paul of Levoča, creator of the world's tallest Gothic wooden altar in the neighbouring basilica.

What to see

• The exhibition on the history of Levoča in the town hall – from the town's founding through its golden age to the present: historical and artistic objects combined with products of Levoča's wealthy guilds. The tour of all Levoča exhibitions starts on the ground floor of the town hall.
• Art collections on the second floor – from Gothic through Renaissance to Baroque: Gothic sculptures and altars, icons, including the statue of Mary Magdalene from Danišovce. The historic council chamber is here too.
• The Exhibition Hall and the Small Exhibition Hall (since 2000) – the museum regularly holds temporary exhibitions.
• The Old Minorite Monastery (Kláštorská 38) – the Minorites settled in Levoča by the 1260s at the latest, the monastery was rebuilt around 1308, and in 1691 it passed to the Jesuits, who opened a grammar school here; it remained in the building until 1913. Later the Spiš Bishopric bought the building and set up a minor seminary, which was closed and nationalised in 1949, and after 1989 the monastery returned to the bishopric. Visitors can see the refectory, the chapter house and the cloister – according to the museum, the only original medieval cloister with a paradise garth preserved in Slovakia.

Master Paul's House, which held an exhibition about the great carver, is currently closed for restoration.

Practical information

The town hall stands in the middle of the square, at the heart of the walled old town; you can leave the car in the car parks by the town walls, a few minutes' walk from the square. Levoča lies on the road between Poprad and Prešov. The museum is open daily 8:00–16:00 (last entry 15:00); a town hall ticket costs 7 €, and a combined tour is better value (details in the "At a glance" box). Allow about an hour for the town hall, two with the monastery. The historic buildings have stairs. Combine the visit with the Basilica of St James across the square; with children, after the museum take a walk along the old town walls that still surround the historic centre.

Nearby: trails and peaks

Our trails Levoča – Zbojnícka lúka and Levoča – Levočská dolina, settlement lead from Levoča into the Levoča Hills, and the pilgrim path climbs Mariánska hora with its basilica above the town. Do not miss the Basilica of St James, Levoča with Master Paul's altar, and half an hour's drive away are Spiš Castle (also a branch of the Spiš Museum) and Spišská Kapitula and St Martin’s Cathedral.

Official website: snm.sk

Photos: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; Ing.Mgr.Jozef Kotulič, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons; unknown (public domain, Commons), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons; Keith Page, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.