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Church · Kežmarok, Prešov
Wooden Articular Church of Kežmarok
A Lutheran church from 1717, made of yew and Norway spruce wood, built without metal parts, with a fully wooden Baroque interior and a wooden pipe organ. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Wooden Articular Church of Kežmarok
The Wooden Articular Church (Drevený artikulárny kostol) of Kežmarok is a Lutheran church built in 1717 next to a stone building from 1593 that today serves as the sacristy. It is one of the so‑called articular churches that Protestants in the Kingdom of Hungary were allowed to erect from the late 17th century onward, based on an imperial legal article of Leopold I: they had to be built outside the city walls, without a tower and without stone, and therefore were made of wood.
The structure uses yew and Norway spruce wood and was assembled without any metal parts. The plan is in the shape of a Greek cross, and the interior, entirely of wood, is Baroque, with galleries on several levels, a carved altar, pulpit and a ceiling painted with motifs of the sky. The organ has wooden pipes, rare for this type of instrument.
In 2008 it was added to the World Heritage site of the wooden churches of the Slovak part of the Carpathians, together with seven other churches from the country.
On the same grounds stands the New Evangelical Church, from the late 19th century, in an eclectic style, which houses the mausoleum of Imre Thököly, a nobleman linked to the town’s castle. Both churches are visited together, and opening hours vary by season.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 45 minutes to one hour for the wooden church and the New Evangelical Church.
Best time
During daytime visiting hours, which are longer from May to October. The interior wood is brighter in sunny hours.
How to get there
It is south of the historic centre, on Hviezdoslavova Street, about a 10‑minute walk from the Main Square and the train station.
Tip
Look at the painted ceiling and the wooden‑pipe organ. Visit both churches on the grounds, which share the same ticket.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Wooden Articular Church of Kežmarok
Why does the wooden church of Kežmarok have no metal?
It was assembled in 1717 using only interlocking joints of yew and Norway spruce wood, without nails or metal parts, like other articular churches of the period.
What is an articular church?
A Protestant church built in the Kingdom of Hungary under a late 17th‑century legal article that permitted temples only outside the walls, without a tower and made of wood.
Is the wooden church of Kežmarok a UNESCO World Heritage site?
Yes. It was inscribed in 2008 as part of the Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of the Carpathians site.