It is a city titled also as an entrance gate to the High Tatras. Picturesque scenery offers to its inhabitants and of course to tourists, which have decided to admire its beauties, magnificent look to the history and present, combined on this small area. Fact, that  already primitive man was seized by the beauty of nature fited a discovry from Gánovce, archeologies have here gradually discoverd dumb evidences about his existency.
Later was this area ocupated by various tribes, for example Kelts, Tatars, Mongols or Germans. Document evidences from the year 1256 say that in this year was Poprad considered as a fullworthed settlement with its own name, but some information mention it already in the year 1209 in the list of king Ondrej.
But th presenting document of king Bela IV.dates from year 1256. Amount of original Slovak inhabitants exceeded mighty rushes of German inhabitants and the name of settlement was changed into Deutschendorf. Later the town belonged to Poland for a short time.
Gradually begins the growth of economical and social life. Establishment of the paper – factory in the year 1812  and brewery has brought to Poprad´s inhabitants lots of employ possibilities and development of manufacture and factory production.  The main change for inhabitants meant railway construstion in the year 1871. At last Poprad became popular and came out of the shadows.
Nowadays the city is famous relax and sport center, nice place for spending holidays and  recovering. The new center offers many possibilities how to spend free time.  Gotic church from the 13th century is named with the same name as the square on which it stands – Saint Egídius.

Places of Interest




Gothic church of saint Egidius

To tourists we offer visiting High Tatras Museum ,which hides history of our city. The High Tatras present good conditions for its visitors, trams, busses, traim, railways – all this bring them in comfort to starting points of this smallest mountains in the world.

Poprad has five wards, which have together 56 000 inhabitants. Spišská Sobota, Stráže, Veľká, Matejovce and Kvetnica can be also really proud of its history and culture.

SPIŠSKÁ SOBOTA
It was developing quite in the same way as a hole city Poprad. Already in the past it was an important small markt city. King Matej has spent here his free time, but also  a famous traveller Móric Beňovský. From historical monuments  is nacessary to mention the Saint Georg´s Church and well – preserved renesance square. Also family af famous master Brokoff come from Spišská Sobota. The primary school in this ward  educated hopeful future hockey players, who have here specific classes specified for this sport.


VEĽKÁ
 Veľká was in the past famous for its biggest and fertilest grounds – 2000 ha. Its own place have here got also famous blueprinting conntected woth home – production of linnen. After World War II. was  this part annexed with Poprad. Tourists can have  wonderful outlook at the tops of High Tatras here. Similar to Spišská Sobota also Veľká has a sport primary school specified for football. 

MATEJOVCE
From  the beginning prevailshere industrial production. It blongs to the oldest comunities, originaly caled as a Matej´s comunity. In the past businessman Karl August Scholtz has in this ward established workshop, which produced combs for horses, gradually it became the most important factory in Slovakia. Today the city van be proud of its modern factory producing automatic washingmaschines – WHIRPOOL.


STRÁŽE
It is the youngest and at the same time the smallest part of Poprad. According to historical documents was it Slovak guard settlement.


KVETNICA
For tourists and inland inhabitants creates Kvetnica perfect oasis of peace and rest. I the past it became famous for its climate spa. Originaly it was supposed as a sanatorium for molitary invalids, later as a tuberculosis center for railwaymen. Since the year 1940 have been in spa pavilions cured diseases of upper respire ways and lungs.