Travel Guide Spišská Belá

Population: 6,581. Located 7 km north of Kežmarok on Route 67, this small town was one of the richest in the region during the Middle Ages. Like Kežmarok, Spišská Belá was repopulated by Saxon settlers after the Tatar invasions and was granted the status of a free town in 1271. A town of craftsmen, it was known for the quality of its furriers' and shoemakers' work. Like its Slovakian sisters, it is built around a central square dominating the surroundings. It houses two museums presenting the work of two local figures, Jozef Petzval, a specialist in photographic optics, and Dr. Gresiger, a naturalist with a passion for birds.