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Bardejov (; , , , , ) is a town in North-Eastern Slovakia. It is situated in the Šariš region on a floodplain terrace of the Topľa River, in the hills of the Beskids. It exhibits numerous cultural monuments in its completely intact medieval town center. The town is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites and currently maintains a population of about 32,000 inhabitants.
Another theory derives the name from a Christian name Barděj, Barduj (abbreviated forms of Bartholomew) with common Slavic languages possessive suffix -ov. This theory is supported by the first recorded form of the name – Bardujef (1241). The motivation by the personal name is also supported by the presence of the suffix preserved in later Polish language or Slovak language sources.
Heavily fortified in the 14th century, the town became a center of trade with Poland. More than 50 controlled the flourishing economy. Bártfa gained the status of a royal town in 1376, later becoming a free royal town. In October 1410 at the Battle of Bardejov the Polish King Władysław II Jagiełło defeated the King Sigismund of Hungary and Croatia, who was later on crowned as King of Germany, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor.
The town's golden age ended in the 16th century, when several wars, pandemics, and other disasters plagued the country.
Beginning in the first quarter of the 18th century, the situation began to improve. Slovaks and Hasidic Judaism came into Bártfa in large numbers. By the end of the century, the population of the town had regained the level of the 16th century. The burghers' houses were rebuilt or modified in keeping with current architectural fashion. A Jewish quarter with a synagogue, slaughterhouse, and mikveh developed in the north-western suburbs. New churches and bridges were built, as well.
During the Reformation, Michal Radašin was called the town pastor.
Despite further fires in the last quarter of the 19th century, the town continued to thrive, thanks to major industrialization projects in the region. In 1893, a railway was opened connecting Eperjes to Bártfa. However, it declined again following its annexation and the establishment of the first Czechoslovakia, and became a backward farming region. World War II saw a worsening in the economic situation, though little damage from bombardment. Bardejov was taken by red army of the 1st Guards Army on 20 January 1945.
In 1950, Bardejov was declared a protected city core, and extensive restoration of its cultural heritage began. These efforts culminated in Bardejov receiving the European Gold Medal by the International Board of Trustees in Hamburg in 1986 – the first town in Czechoslovakia to receive the award. On November 20, 2000, Bardejov was selected by UNESCO as one of its World Heritage Sites, recognized for its Jewish Suburbia and historic town center. In November 2010, the city marked the 10th anniversary of its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Today, Bardejov is known mainly for its authentic old town square, which, due to extensive restoration and preservation of its Medieval, Renaissance, and Gothic architecture, has made Bardejov a popular tourist destination. The town draws on its rich heritage to further develop cultural traditions, such as an annual trade fair and the Roland Games (commemorating its medieval past).
Like many European small towns, Bardejov maintained a strong Jewish population before World War II and the Holocaust.
In March 2006, the Bardejov Jewish Preservation Committee was founded as a non-profit organization by Emil Fish, a survivor of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp who was born in Bardejov. In July 2005, Mr. Fish returned to Bardejov with his wife and son for the first time since 1949. His response to the disrepair and dilapidation of the synagogues and the Jewish cemetery was a resolve to restore and preserve these properties. The committee is composed of Bardejov survivors, their descendants and friends, and others interested in commemorating the vanishing Jewish communities of Central Europe. Today, the committee's stated mission is to: "restore the Jewish properties of Bardejov, Slovakia"; "build awareness of the cultural and historical significance of Jewish life in Bardejov and Slovakia"; and "advance knowledge of Jewish ancestry and heritage."
The Church of St. Aegidius (Giles) was built by James of Polish Sącz. He is the teacher of Master Paul of Levoča, who built the tallest wooden altar in the world. The church has many altars.
One of the most interesting buildings is the town hall, built in 1505. The lower part was built in the Gothic style, while the upper part was finished in the Renaissance style. This was the headquarters of the city council and also the center of the town's economic, social, and cultural life. In 1903, the town hall was adapted to serve as Šariš County Museum (Sárosi múzeum), now known as the Šariš Museum Bardejov, one of the oldest and the biggest museums in Slovakia. (2025). 9788096900411, Hercule Society, Society for Development of Higher Šariš, Adrian Ondoš. ISBN 9788096900411
The fortification system and town walls date from the 14th and 15th centuries and are listed by the European Fund of Cultural Heritage as one of the most elaborate and best preserved medieval fortifications in Slovakia. About 2.5 km (1.6 mi) north of Bardejov is the spa town Bardejovské Kúpele. The therapeutic mineral water springs are claimed to be beneficial to people with Oncology, blood circulation, and digestive tract problems. It also hosts an open-air museum of folk architecture ( skansen).In the outskirts of the spa town Bardejovské Kúpele, there is a historic Slovak Village called Šariš Village Museum. It has buildings that would be found in a typical Slovak Village. The spa has played host to several dignitaries, including Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma (the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte), Tsar Alexander I of Russia and Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary. In this spa they also sell oblátky.
Partizán Bardejov is the town's professional football team, who play at the local Municipal Stadium. The clubs' successful women's side folded in 2012.
By the 1910 census, it had 2,571 Slovaks, 2,179 Hungarians and 1,617 Zipser Germans inhabitants.
Jews lived in the town for about 300 years. By the 1920s, Jews made up 34% of the total population of Bardejov. In 1942, when Slovakia was under the influence of Nazi Germany, more than 3,000 Jews from Bardejov were deported to concentration camps, where most were murdered. Bardejov is now a "town without Jews."http://bardejov.org/a/jewish-bardejov Bardejov Jewish History The town was in the northeast Hungarian majority settlement until the Ottoman wars near the Polish border.
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