Bardejov

Brief history

The first written reference to the town of Berdejov dates back to the 1240s. By that time, the church of Sv. Aegidius (St. Giles) had already been established. In the XIV century the town was a heavily fortified center of trade with Poland. In 1376 Bardejov gained the status of a royal town and later become a free royal town. The golden age of Bardejov ended in the XVI century, when several wars, pandemics, and other disasters plagued the country.      

In the first quarter of the XVIII century, the situation began to improve. Slovaks and Hasidic Jews started to come into Bardejov in large numbers. By the end of the century, the population of the town increased significantly. A Jewish quarter with a synagogue developed in the north-western suburbs. New churches and bridges were also built during the period.

During the XIX century, the town continued to thrive, thanks to major industrialization projects in the region. A railway connecting Presov to Bardejov was opened in 1893. After that the town entered into yet another period of decline following the establishment of the first Czechoslovak Republic and became a backward farming region. World War II brought little damage from bombardment. On 20 January 1945 Bardejov was taken by Soviet troops of the 1st Guards Army.

In 1950, Bardejov was declared a protected city thank to its cultural heritage. In 1986 Bardejov received the European Gold Medal by the International Board of Trustees in Hamburg – the first town in Czechoslovakia to receive the award. On 20 November 2000, Bardejov was listed by UNESCO as one of its World Heritage Sites, recognized for its Jewish Suburbia and historic town center.