Saint Elizabeth Cathedral, Košice

St. Elizabeth Cathedral (Dóm svätej Alžbety) is the largest church in Slovakia and the easternmost Gothic cathedral in Europe. It stands in the middle of Hlavná, the long main square and pedestrian street of Košice. From the railway station it is about a 10-minute walk through the city park and along Mlynská Street.

It was built between about 1378 and 1508 on the site of an older church of St. Elizabeth that had burned down. The building is about 60 metres long, and its north tower rises 59 metres above the medieval townhouses, while the south tower was never finished. Inside, the highlight is the high altar of St. Elizabeth (1474–1477), one of the largest Gothic winged altars in Europe, with 48 panel paintings. The crypt holds the tomb of Prince Francis II Rákóczi, leader of an uprising against the Habsburgs, who was reburied here in 1906.

Next to the cathedral stand the Gothic Chapel of St. Michael and the Urban Tower, a free-standing bell tower.

Religious services always take priority over sightseeing. A self-guided tourist visit costs €6 (€8 with a guide, 2025), and the crypt, the royal double staircase, the north tower lookout, St. Michael’s Chapel and the Urban Tower each have small separate fees of €2–5. From May to September the cathedral is open to tourists Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 17:30 and on Sundays from 12:00 to 18:00.