Poprad

The small town of Poprad, located close to the Polish border, is mostly associated with an aquapark, which has been operating here for at least a dozen of years. But despite that, it’s worth dedicating a few hours to at least discover the Spiska Sobota district or the monumental church of St. Idzi.

The modern city got its name thanks to the river that runs through it. According to language experts, it is one of the oldest names in the region of Podtatrze (it was already mentioned in the early 13th century).

The first traces of the presence of people in this area date all the way back to prehistorical times. In the surroundings of the city as we know it today, nearby the village of Ganovce, a cast of the skull of the Neanderthal man was discovered. During the great migration of peoples, Vandals were enhabiting this area. The first historical mentions about the settlement originated from the 13th century. At that time, Poprad was a small village, which remained in the shadows of the nearby Spiska Sobota/ It was probably enhabited mostly by German settlers.

In 1412, Poprad, along with a dozen of other cities, was included within the Polish border. For those towns and villages it was a time of development and prosperity. Fairs were organized here, and mines and manufactories were established.

In the early 20th century, tracks were constructed, thanks to which people could reach the High Tatra Mountains. At this point, Poprad was so developed, that in 1927, it took the status of a county town away from Spiska Sobota.