Marian Square

Marian Square. It represents the historical heart of Žilina. The first written mention of the square is in the Žilina Book, where the name Rínok appears in 1464. The oldest buildings of the town, built as brick buildings after the great fire in 1521, are located here, until then most of the houses were wooden. Markets and annual fairs were regularly held at Žilina's rínok. The houses around the square housed the town patriciate - craftsmen, merchants and traders. Laubne surrounding the whole square were used for selling goods. The statue of the Immaculata in the centre of the square is a symbol of the Recatholization and was erected in 1738. Today, there are 32 separate buildings in the square. There are many legends associated with the square, for example, one speaks of a secret passage leading to Budatín Castle.