The first view of the central square of Bardejov is really stunning. It's perfect in many ways: consistency, size, colouring, and state of repair. And oh, let's not forget that pretty ensemble of the St. Egidius Cathedral and Town Hall. The whole also looks a bit out of place here in Slovakia: it could be located in Poland, (East) Germany, or some Hanseatic city. It even reminded me of my home town Gouda in the Netherlands (which also has a prominent, stand-alone 15th-century Town Hall on its City Square).

I roamed around for a while taking in the scenery and visited the St. Egidius. The lady in charge of selling tickets (and souvenirs) did so with an attitude as if we would gain entry to the Vaticans' St. Peter's Basilica itself. This interior is less imposing though. It looks smallish and chaotic, probably because it's filled with ancient altars with panel paintings. These altars are deemed very precious but probably not to everybody's taste.

As mentioned in the review by Christer Sundberg below, restorations have been carried out very well here. It's by far the best-restored site I've seen so far in Slovakia, on par with the better ones in Poland and the Baltic states. The inscribed area is rather small: the old town within the city walls plus the Jewish suburb. Bardejov is a good base though for other sights in the vicinity like Bardejov Spa and the numerous wooden churches that are scattered in the border area with Poland (a possible new / extended WHS later this year).