When the Ottoman armies conquered Buda in 1541, the Archbishop of Esztergom fled north with his cathedral chapter, his treasury, and his authority over the Hungarian Church. He settled in Trnava, a prosperous Slovak town safely beyond Turkish reach, and for the next three centuries this walled city served as the de facto capital of Hungarian Catholicism. The archbishop built a university, invited the Jesuits, and filled the streets with churches and convents until travelers called it "Little Rome" or simply "Slovak Rome." Today, eleven church towers still rise above the medieval walls, and the miraculous image of the Merciful Virgin Mary draws pilgrims to a shrine where faith survived Turkish invasion, Protestant challenge, and Communist persecution.
The old town unfolds within remarkably intact fortifications, its narrow streets connecting Gothic churches to Baroque palaces to the massive University Church that once served as the seat of archiepiscopal authority. The Jesuits made Trnava a center of Counter-Reformation learning; their printing press published the first Slovak-language books; their scholars shaped Central European intellectual life for generations. When Maria Theresa moved the university to Buda in 1777, she left behind an architectural legacy that makes Trnava one of Slovakia's most significant historic cities.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
Trnava received its first charter in 1238, making it one of the first free royal towns in the Kingdom of Hungary. The medieval town prospered from trade and craftsmanship, building the Church of St. Nicholas in Gothic style and establishing religious houses that would serve the population for centuries.
The transformation into "Slovak Rome" began in 1543 when Archbishop Pál Várday of Esztergom transferred his residence to Trnava following the Ottoman conquest of central Hungary. With him came the authority, wealth, and institutional apparatus of the Hungarian Catholic Church. The archbishops would remain in Trnava until 1820, shaping the city's character for nearly three centuries.
The Counter-Reformation brought dramatic development. Archbishop Miklós Oláh invited the Jesuits in 1561, and they established schools that would grow into a university. Cardinal Péter Pázmány, the great figure of Hungarian Catholic renewal, founded the University of Trnava in 1635—the ancestor of today's Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. The Jesuit printing press, established in 1648, became the most important publisher in the region, issuing theological works, devotional literature, and the first Slovak-language books.
The miraculous image of the Merciful Virgin Mary dates to 1663, when the painting allegedly wept during a period of Turkish military advance. Archbishop Juraj Szelepcsényi investigated the phenomenon and authorized public veneration. The image became a focus of intense devotion, credited with protecting the city from Ottoman assault and healing the sick. Today it remains the spiritual center of Trnava's pilgrimage tradition.
The eighteenth century brought both splendor and loss. The massive University Church of St. John the Baptist was completed in 1637, its twin towers dominating the skyline. But in 1777, Maria Theresa ordered the university transferred to Buda, diminishing Trnava's intellectual prominence. When the archbishops finally returned to Esztergom in 1820, the city lost its ecclesiastical preeminence as well.
The Communist period (1948-1989) brought suppression of religious life. The university's successor institutions were secularized, religious orders were expelled, and public devotion was restricted. Yet the churches remained open, and pilgrims continued to venerate the Merciful Virgin Mary throughout the darkest decades.
Pope John Paul II visited Trnava in 2003, celebrating Mass for over 100,000 faithful and honoring the city's historic role in Slovak Catholicism. In 2008, the Slovak bishops established the Archdiocese of Trnava, restoring archiepiscopal status to the "Slovak Rome" for the first time since the nineteenth century.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Trnava
Bazilika Svätého Mikuláša
Basilica of St. Nicholas
The city's oldest church, originally Gothic but transformed through Baroque rebuilding, houses the miraculous image of the Merciful Virgin Mary that has drawn pilgrims since 1663. The painting, depicting Mary with the Christ Child, occupies a side altar surrounded by ex-votos testifying to centuries of answered prayers. Pope Pius X elevated the church to minor basilica in 1908.
The interior preserves medieval stonework alongside Baroque altars and furnishings. The main altar, dedicated to St. Nicholas, displays rich gilded ornamentation characteristic of Counter-Reformation taste. The church tower offers views across the historic center.
Univerzitný Kostol Svätého Jána Krstiteľa
University Church of St. John the Baptist
This massive early Baroque church, built 1629-1637 for the Jesuit university, represents one of the most significant Counter-Reformation buildings in Central Europe. The twin towers, measuring 78 meters, dominate the Trnava skyline. The interior features remarkable stucco work by Giovanni Pietro Tencalla and paintings depicting scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist.
The church served as the effective cathedral of the Hungarian Church during the archbishop's residence in Trnava. Its scale and grandeur express the confidence of Counter-Reformation Catholicism in its confrontation with Protestantism.
Katedrála Svätého Jána Krstiteľa
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
The archiepiscopal cathedral, rebuilt in Baroque style in the eighteenth century, serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Trnava. The interior features an elaborate high altar and frescoes depicting the life of John the Baptist. The adjacent episcopal palace houses archdiocesan offices and historical collections.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Feast of the Merciful Virgin Mary — Third Sunday of November
The principal pilgrimage honors the miraculous image that wept in 1663. The Archbishop of Trnava presides over pontifical Mass at the Basilica of St. Nicholas, followed by procession through the historic streets. Pilgrims venerate the image and seek Mary's intercession.
Feast of St. John the Baptist — June 24
The patronal feast of both the University Church and the Cathedral brings celebrations throughout the day, with special liturgies at both churches.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Hotel Barbakan ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Four-star hotel in the historic center, occupying a Renaissance building near the medieval fortifications. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Hotel Dream ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Four-star hotel with wellness facilities. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Penzion Maxim (guesthouse) — Comfortable pension in the historic center. Reserve this property
🚗 Getting There
By Air: Bratislava Airport (BTS) is approximately 50 km south. Vienna International Airport (VIE) is approximately 90 km west.
By Train: Trnava station is on the main Bratislava–Žilina line, with frequent trains from Bratislava (approximately 35 minutes). The station is a 10-minute walk from the historic center.
By Bus: Regular services connect Trnava to Bratislava (approximately 45 minutes) and other Slovak cities.
By Car: From Bratislava, take the D1 motorway north to Trnava (approximately 50 km, 40 minutes). Parking is limited in the historic center.
🔗 Useful Links
Archdiocese of Trnava — Official website.
Trnava Tourism — City visitor information.
Slovakia Travel — National tourism portal.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Marianka (50 km) — Slovakia's oldest Marian shrine, with healing springs and the miraculous Madonna.
Šaštín-Stráže (50 km) — Slovakia's national shrine of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows.
Nitra (50 km) — The oldest episcopal see in Slovakia, with the Cathedral of St. Emmeram.
📚 Further Reading
Howard Louthan. Converting Bohemia: Force and Persuasion in the Catholic Reformation — Scholarly study of the Counter-Reformation in Central Europe, including the role of Trnava's university.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope." — Salve Regina, traditional Marian antiphon
