Slovakia - The concept of the lenticular historical town core of Košice City

"Alongside with the unique ground-plane organisation, typical just for the region of the East Slovakia, the historical town core has got the preserved valuable compact set of buildings, including even medieval ones located in the centre of the town. It grew up on the crossroads of the long-distance merchant roads, connecting the East Europe with the West Europe and the Baltic with the Black Sea. The settlement persisted here already since the Palaeolithic Age. Its exceptional ground-plane concept is the oldest, the largest and the most preserved one among the East Slovakian towns. Clearly readable street network is formed by the three streets, aiming from the North to the South, the middle one is gradually widened into the shape of a lens and in its largest span, on the crossroads with the street from the East, the parish church has been built. It was built in the centre of a market settlement already in the 2nd half of the 13th century as a one-nave church by the German colonists..."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

Postcard 1
Nice aerial view of Kosice. Thanks to Martin for sending from Slovakia.

Postcard 2

Elizabeth's Cathedral, Kosice is the largest Gothic cathedral in Slovakia.