Trnava is also referred to as the ‘Slovak Rome’ and is the pearl among Slovak towns thanks to its architectural gems and sacral monuments. There is such a concentration of churches in one small area in Trnava, the likes of which cannot be seen in any other town in Slovakia.
Only several towns in Central Europe can boast such a large section of castle walls as that surviving in the eastern and western parts of the town. For their high level of preservation the walls are unique and are significant monumentsfrom the 13th to 16th centuries. The town tower, which was built by Master Jacob in 1574 on Gothic foundations, dominates the town and provides a beautiful view of Trnava and its surroundings.
The Early Baroque building of national significance, the University Church of St. John the Baptist, is one of the most valuable historical monuments in Trnava. The monumental wooden main altar from 1640 van be seen in its interior. Additional buildings including the college, grammar school, university, seminars and refectories accompany the university church. Another Gothic monument, the St. Nicholas Basilica parish church, stands on St. Nikolas Square on the site of an older Romanesque church from the 14th century. It was a cathedral church of the Esztergom Archbishop in the years 1543 to 1820. Trnava has been the first Slovak metropolitan seat of the Archbishop, since 1978.