Religion

The Slovak constitution guarantees religious freedom, but most of the people in Slovakia were baptised as children, as a result of family tradition. The largest religious group are Roman Catholics (68.9%), the second largest are non religious (13%), then Lutherans (6.9%), Greek Catholics (4.1%), Protestant Reformers (2.0%) and Orthodox Church (0.9%).

In general, it can be said that people in Slovakia are religious (at least, more religious than most of the European countries). Although, many Slovaks claim being religious, but actually, except of days like Christmas or Easter they do not visit the church a lot (or never).

Basilicas

Basilica of Our Lady of Sorrows in Šaštín-Stráž

Národná bazilika Panny Márie Sedembolestnej (Basilica of Our Lady of Sorrows) in Šaštín-Stráž is one of the most important basilicas in Slovakia. It’s building began in 1736. The church has associated it with the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows in 1564. It is a late gothic work, the author is unknown.

Basilica of St. Emeram in Nitra

Bazilika svätého Emeráma (Basilica of St. Emeram) is the cathedral in Nitra, which was originally built in Gothic style. The entire cathedral is located in the area of Nitra castle, like the cathedral at Prague Castle. The upper church dates back to the years 1333-1355. Later, the whole cathedral was rebuilt in Baroque style.

Basilica of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Mariánska hora in Levoča

Bazilika Navštívenia Panny Márie na Mariánskej hore (Basilica of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Mariánska hora) in Levoča belongs to the oldest pilgrimage places in eastern Slovakia. The saint’s-days are held annually on 2nd of July.

Origins of the cult of Mary dates back to the 13th century. In 1247 the first chapel was built. Mary’s feast of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary is associated with the arrival of Franciscan-minority to Levoča in 1311.

The importance of this pilgrimage places didn’t stays unheeded even in Rome. Pope John Paul II. consecrated the Virgin Mary Church of the Visitation on 26th of January 1984 at the basilica. About eleven years later on 3rd of July 1995 the largest pilgrimage was held with his presence, which attended over 650,000 people.

Basilica of st. Egidius in Bardejov

Bazilika svätého Egídia (Basilica of St. Egidius) in Bardejov is the Gothic sacral building, which is situated in the northern part of the Town Hall squire. The beginnings of the temple dates back to the 13th century. Church suffered many great disasters over the centuries: fires in the years 1550, 1577, 1640, 1774 and 1878, earthquakes in 1725, in which the tower fell down, and year 1836, when the church walls cracked in three places, eventually bombing in 1944. After the great fire in 1774 the temple was until 1898 without towers. After a catastrophic fire on Easter Monday in 1878, which burned almost the whole city, an extensive repair and reconstruction of the church began. The reparation lasted twenty years and the temple was brought to a condition in which we know it today.

Other building interventions were carried out in the 20th century. In 2001, on the occasion of the declaration to basilica minor the temple bell has been replaced by a new Bell – John weighing 700 kg.

Basilica of St. Nicholas in Trnava

The first mention of the romanesque parish Bazilika svätého Mikuláša (Basilica of St. Nicholas) in Trnava is from the second half of the 11th century. As the name indicates, the church was dedicated to St. Nicholas, patron of traders.

The oldest written reports in Trnava are exactly about this Romanesque church. The church is 60 m long, 31 m wide; the main ship is high 18 m. The main frontage is dual towered. One of the largest bell in Europe – Sv. Mikuláš (St. Nicholas Bell) is in the north tower. House of St. Nicholas was on 9th of November 2008 consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI to basilica minor. Basilica in Trnava is the tenth basilica in Slovakia.

Cathedrals

St. Martin’s Cathedral in Bratislava

Katedrála sv. Martina (St. Martin’s Cathedral) (until 2008 Co cathedral of St. Martin) is the largest and the most important church in Bratislava. From 8th of March 2008 it is the residency of the archbishop of Bratislava. Cathedral was built in the 14th century on the place of the original Romanesque church and cemetery.

St. Elizabeth Cathedral in Košice

Dóm sv. Alžbety (St. Elizabeth Cathedral) is the Archbishop’s Gothic cathedral, located on the Main Street in Košice. It is the largest church in Slovakia, and even the Eastmost gothic cathedral in Europe. The outer length of the church is 60 m, width 36 m, height of the north tower 60 m, height of the nave 23 m and height of the lateral vessels 12 m. The inner height of the nave is 24 m and the church covers an area of 1200 m2.

The church was built in three stages. Wealthy burghers decided to build a new grand dome of the corresponding importance of medieval Košice with the blessing of the ruler Sigismund of Luxemburg in 1380. The first phase of construction work lasted until 1462. The second phase started in 1462 with the construction of the south tower, which received the name (Matejová Tower) after the then governor, and contributor to the dome Matthias Corvinus. The constructions were finished by Nikolaus Krompholz in 1508.

St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Banská Bystrica

Katedrála svätého Františka Xaverského (St. Francis Xavier Cathedral) is situated at Slovak National Uprising Square in Banská Bystrica.

The first known owner of the house was Michael Königsberger who lived here until his death in 1505. After several changes of owners, the so-called Upper House was burned by miners in the uprising in 1526. The cathedral was re-built by the Jesuits in 1695–1715 as a copy of the Church of the Gesu in Rome. The cathedral has been a seat of the Diocese of Banská Bystrica since 1776. The two towers were added in 1844.

Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Žilina

Katedrála Najsvätejšej Trojice (Cathedral of the Holy Trinity) is a Roman Catholic parish church in the historical center of Žilina. It is an important historical monument on the border of the reservation. The church was built around the 1400.

Lutheran Churches

Lutheran Church in Bardejov

Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession is the classical church in Bardejov. It was built around 1798-1808 under the name Long Row. The Church is equipped with a neo-gothic interior of 19th century.

Lutheran Church in Trnava

Lutheran church located at the Slovak National Uprising Square in close contact with the urban walls.

Lutheran Church in Východná

Lutheran Church in Východná was designed and implemented in the first half of the 20th century. The church is the remarkable symbiosis of modernism and romanticism.

Greek Orthodox Churches

Tserkva of the Protection of the Holy Birthgiver of God in Miroľa and Nižný Komárnik

Kostol Ochrany Presvätej Bohorodičky (Tserkva of the Protection of the Birthgiver of God) in Miroľa and in Nižný Komárnik are national cultural monuments since 1968.

Tserkva of St. Basil the Great in Krajný Čierny

Tripartite rustic church – Kostol svätého Bazila Veľkého (Tserkva of St. Basil the Great) in Krajný Čierný was built in 18th century. Tserkva, with its architecture, belongs to the Byzantine church buildings.

Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Príkra

Chrám svätého Michala Archanjela (Church of St. Michael the Archangel) also called Wooden Church or Greek Tserkva is a wooden church in the village Príkra. It is a national cultural monument since 1968. The temple was built under dating on portal in 1777.

Synagogues

Slovak synagogues are mainly from the 19th century or the first half of the 20th century in the following cities/towns:

• Synagogue in Huncovce
• Synagogue in Svätý Júr
• Synagogue in Liptovský Mikuláš
• Synagogue in Stupava
• Synagogue in Bardejov
• Synagogue in Nitra
• Synagogue in Trenčín
• Synagogue in Bratislava
• Synagogue in Žilina
• Synagogue in Košice
• Synagogue in Prešov

Košice holds valuable Jewish heritage. This city of Eastern Slovakia was the center of several parallel-functioning Jewish communities before the Holocaust, representing a broad spectrum of Jewish religious streams. Synagogical objects of former Hasidic and Orthodox congregation survived to recent days, some even with the original inventory.

Mosque

Capital Mosque in Bratislava

• Adress: Karlova Ves, Staré Grunty 64, Bratislava
• Phone: 00421903936801
• Email: minaret@minaret.sk