meštiansky dom Burgher house

Townhouse in Levoča

Townhouses in Levočia are typical examples of medieval residential buildings located in the center of the village. These houses were built in the 14th century and are characterized by a closed layout of a four-winged block with a central courtyard, accessible through two opposite crossings.

The types of houses were influenced by the material from which the house was made, the way of heating, the solvency of the owner and the way of defense. Tower house was a block multi-storey building, situated on a plot with a high stone wall.

The chamber house had a simple longitudinal floor plan. The facade was situated front room, the court-oriented chamber and between them in the middle part was located black kitchen.

The house with passage was extremely well functionally usable and for a very long period became the most frequent layout type of the city residential building.

In the 17th and especially in the 18th century there was an increased interest of nobility in the city, which related to its functions in the county or military administration. The nobles bought houses next to each other and rebuilt them into representative houses.

In the 19th century, the city population grew. Residential rental houses ensured a much higher population density.

Pavlače houses were characterized by a closed layout of a four-winged block with a central courtyard, accessible through two opposite crossings. Common sanitation facilities were located at the end of the pail.

Houses of poverty, iron houses were on the outskirts of the city, often forming part of the walls. They represented the existential minimum.

The original objects were modernized mainly in the parter. Many retained their original functional use (trade), but the sales method was more oriented towards advertising.

The function of housing remained in originally residential burgher houses until today, only the requirements of the standard of housing changed.