Kalvária Slovakia

The apex of baroque art in Slovakia is on a volcanic hill, 2km northeast of Banská Štiavnica's old town. Ornate chapels guard artwork showing scenes from the final days of Jesus' earthly life. The pathway snaking between them leads to a crimson hilltop church with magical views of the surrounding hills.The complex, completed in 1751, was designed to promote the Jesuit faith and provide a religious focal point for the town; today Christian pilgrims file prayerfully up the hill. Downhill of Kalvária, the pleasant visitors centre tells the story of Jesuits in Slovakia from the mid-17th century. There's info in English and a Slovak-only educative film.Extensive restoration work, a project spanning multiple years, was ongoing on our last visit, but there was no impact on visitors other than the presence of painters and the odd scaffold.If driving, ask for a parking card at the info centre.