Kežmarok

Kežmarok is a town in the historical region of Spiš, in eastern Slovakia, set on the river Poprad at 627 metres above sea level. It received its town charter in 1269, went on to become a free royal town and for centuries had a large community of German origin, which formed the majority until the early 20th century. Its heritage includes the castle, Renaissance merchants' houses and the Protestant articular church, built in 1688 entirely of wood and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008. With around 15,000 inhabitants, it keeps a sporting tradition that goes back to a shooting club founded in the early 16th century and today has clubs in ice hockey, football, volleyball, cycling and archery. Kežmarok was recognised by ACES Europe as European Town of Sport 2022, a title reserved for municipalities of fewer than 25,000 inhabitants that places it within the Slovak representation of the ACES network.