Preshov Region and its history13 districts:

PrešovBardejovHumennéKežmarokLevočaMedzilaborcePopradSabinovSninaStará ĽubovňaStropkovSvidníkVranov nad Topľou

Prešov

- 1247 - First written refference -1299 - municipal law by king Andrew III.- 1453 - First coat of arms of Prešov-1502-1515 – Concathedral of Saint Nicholas was rebuilt to current shape.- 1687 - Carrafa`s butchery- 1886, 1887 – Destructive fires in Prešov

Saint Nicholas Concathedral

Interior of concathedralCarrafa`s Prison

Poprad

Old photography of power station in Poprad

-1256 - First written refference- 1871 - Košice–Bohumín Railway was built which helped to economic growth of city.-Contemporary city parts of Poprad were in past separate townships, it was Staré Mesto, Matejovce, Spišská Sobota, Stráže pod Tatrami, Veľká, and Kvetnica.-Old power station was built in 1912 and supplied tatra tramways with electricity. Today there`s a gallery.

Old power station today.

Levoča

Cage of Shame in Levoča

-1249 - First written refference- 1321 - King Karol Robert granted Levoča with right of storage, so all foreign merchants had to stay in the city for 15 days and offer their goods for sale.-16th century (first half) – Master Paul created wooden altar, which is significant artistic jewel and also the tallest wooden altar in the world.

Town hall of Levoča with temple of st. Jacob in background.

Svidník- Antiquity – Ember Way led through Svidnik , which was prooved by finding of silver denarius from period of Marcus Aurelius (161-180).- 28. of June 1355 – First written refference.- In 14-th and 15-th century on the hill named „Kaštielik“ was opulent fortificated noble residence, but it was completely destroyed by polish troops at the end of 15-th century.- 1787 - Svidník consists of 43 houses and 299 inhabitants.- City of Svidnik was created by mergence ofVyšný Svidník and Nižný Svidník in 1944.- Significant monuments in Svidník are also wooden buildings and cerkve.

Wooden cerkva

Fire station in Open-air museum in Svidník

Bardejov

-1241 – First written refference- 1376 – Louis I raised Bardejov to free royal city.- In time span from 14-th century to the end oh 15-th century was built Basilica of st. Egidius.- 1505 - building of Bardejov town hall started.- 1584 - Bell Urban which weights 4 tons was made for Basilica of st. Egidius.- Bardejov was added to UNESCO World Heritage List.

Bardejov Town Hall – side look

Badejov square

Humenné

- 1317 – First written refference.-13-th century – Jasenovský castle was built in Humenné. In 16-th century there was created illegal workshop for production of counterfeit money, for which was lead craftsman Mikuláš executed in year 1551.-13th – 14th century – Manor-house was built as residence of Drughet landlords.- 14-th century – city recieved from Ferdinand III privilege to organize markets.

Ruins of Jasenovský castle

Manor-house in Humenné

Interior of renaissance manor-house

Sabinov

-1248 – First written reference- 28 of January 1299 – City obtained rights to choose parson and reeve, right of judgement and it was exempted of taxes and military duty.- 1405 – Sabinov was raised to free royal city.- 14-th century - Church of Saint John The Baptist was built, but it has burned down and was rebuilt in 1461 in late gothic style.- 1965 – Film „The Shop On The Main Street“ was filmed in Sabinov with J. Kroner and I. Kamińska which reached Oscar.

Church of Saint John The Baptist

Kežmarok

-1251 – First written refference-1380 – Kežmarok became free royal city.- before 17th century on place of Kežmarok redoubt was guard tower, which was rebuilt to noble house by Thököly family, later it served as printing station for Mathew Glaser, and in it was rebuilt to redoubt. On fasade of redoubt is written in latin that it serves for guards, guests and revels.- 15th – 16th century – there were 30 guilds in Kežmarok.Town hall in Kežmarok

Redoubt in classicist style

Medzilaborce

- 7th of January 1347 - First written refference.- 1612 - sawmill and two mills were built in Medzilaborce.- 1860 - Medzilaborce became city.- 1873 - Medzilaborce were connected to railroad network. - 1949 - Cerkev of St. Spirit was built as memorial for victims of both world wars.- Parents of Andy Warhol were from village Miková, not far from Medzilaborce. Today there`s Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art in Medzilaborce.

Cerkev of St. Spirit

Fountain with statue of Andy Warhol in Medzilaborce

Snina

- 1317 – First written refference- 15th century – 130 inhabitants lives in Snina.- 1781 - older wooden manor-house was rebuilt to brick.- In 1809 entrepreneur Joseph Rholl discovered iron ore in Josephs valley, and in 1841 he built foundry.- 1842 - Štefan Rholl built Chapel of Virgin Mary in classicist style.

Manor-house rebuilt by countess Teresia Wan Dernath

Chapel of Virgin Mary

Stará Ľubovňa

Open-air museum in Stará Ľubovňa.

Ľubovniansky Castle

-1292 - First written refference- 1307 – Ľubovniansky Castle was built by Omodej Aba and in 1412 it was temporarily given by king Žgmund to polish king as guarantee for loan of 37 000 piles of Czech sous, but Žigmund and also his descendants didn`t managed to return the loan so it remained under administration of polish kings for another 360 years.- 1364 – City was raised by Louis I to free royal city.- 1882 – Ľubovniansky Castle was selled to count Zamojský.

Stropkov

- 12th of March 1245- First written refference- 1554 - Manor of stropkov owned 43 townships.- 1585 – Distillery was in Stropkov and also gunpowder was produced here.- 1698 - City was granted with right to organise markets.- In the same year manor of Stropkov owned 51 townships.- Manor-house was created from Sabinovský Castle which was destroyed by fire sometimes after year 1767.

Stropkov Manor-House

Vranov nad Topľou

-1270 - First (indirect) written refference.- 1458 - Right of toll by king Matej Korvín.- 1461 – right of storage and right to organize markets.- 1570 - Establishment of Evangelical Humanistic Grammar School in Vranov nad Topľou.-1580 - Basilica of Birth of Virgin Mary was built.- Another monument in Vranov nad Toplľou is old Jewish cemetery from 18th and 19th century.

Basilica of Birth of Virgin Mary

Gravestone at Jewish cemetery

Sources:virtualtravel.sk

http://www.cas.sk/galeria//159205

http://www.kezmarok.sk/navstevnik/detail-pamiatky-5.htm

http://www.ubytujsa.sk/sk/hrady-a-zamky/stropkov/kostoly-stropkov-kostol-farsky-19026

http://www.vranov.sk

http://www.slovakia.travel

http://flagspot.net

http://www.crwflags.com

http://www.svidnik.sk/turista/mesto-svidnik-vseobecne-informacie/historia-mesta/

medzilaborce.net

humenne.sk

wikipedia.com

commons.wikimedia.com

http://www.snina.sk

http://www.e-obce.sk

stropkov.sk

www.mapysveta.sk

...and own work (side photo of Bardejov town hall)