Welcome to Levoča! The town of Levoča is situated in the centre - in the heart - of a region called Spiš, which is located in north-east Slovakia bordering on Poland. The region covers mountainous terrain 573 m above sea level. It is a magnificent region bordered to the north by the Levoča hills which are a part of the Carpathian heights whereby to the northwest you may view the peaks of the lowest alpine-like mountains in Europe - that is to say the High Tatras. To the south there is a unique national park known as Slovak Paradise predominantly consisting of limestone which through the ages has led to the formation of deep canyons and waterfalls. In the eastern direction it is connected with the thee mountain range known as the Slovak Rudohorie. The river Hornád, with its tributary the Levoča stream, weaves through this area like a silken thread. The country abounds in mineral water sources and thermal waters in Vrbov and in Poprad which serve swimming pools. Levoča is an ideal centre as a starting point for walking tours. The surroundings abound in a variety of historie monuments well worth seeing considering their outstanding artistic features. St James's Church It is a three-nave church with a sturdy sanctuary. It is vaulted by Gothic cross corridors. It was built in the last quarter of the 14th century. In 1392, the St. George's Chapel was added to the northern part of the church . During the next century northern and southern entrances were added. They both have beautiful and rich porches with abundant plastic ornaments. There used to be a door under the spire on the west side, but it was abolished in Vladislav Jagelonsky's times, when the pews for the town council were added here. Above the pews, the choir with star-shaped arches, railing and beautiful circle ornament was built. In the 16th century, a final change was done, when between 1520-1540 a bibliotheca was added. It is one of the first Renaissance constructions of the town of Levoca. However, the spire of the church is not as old. Several fires had remarkably damaged the original spire, so the citizens of Levoca decided to build a new one. It was completed in 1858. The interiorof the church is worth our attention, too, with its Gothic altars, the most precious of them being the main altar. Thanks to its size it is one of the world's highest. It is 18.62 m in height, made of limetree wood in Master Pavol's workshop. Other monuments include: the Altar of Virgin Mary the Snowy, St. Peter and Paul's Altar, St. John's Altar, Corvinus,i.e. Vir Dolorum, St. Anne' and St. Catherine's Altars, The Altar of the Birth, wooden senators' pews and the metal font, mass decorations, cups, monstrances and Gothic mural paintings.