Burian Tower

The oldest bell tower in the Žilina region is the Burian Tower in Žilina. It is located on the Cathedral Square and stands alone, next to the tower of the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity. In the past, it shared a common fate with it. It was built between 1526 and 1529 by Burian Svetlovský of Vlčnov, the then owner of the castle of Strečno and the town of Žilina, who held the office of hereditary richtár. The tower was completed by the Podmanický brothers between 1540 and 1548. During this period, they occupied Žilina twice and turned the church and its buildings into a fortress. Burian's tower served as a bell tower and also as an observation tower from its inception. It was supposed to enable to spot fires and the arrival of the enemy in time. Originally it was called "New Tower". In 1890, a bell weighing 2 336 kilograms, called Burianov, was installed on it. It was after this bell that people began to call the tower Burian's from the end of the 19th century. The church, the tower and the whole town have suffered several fires throughout history. After each of them, the roofs of the two towers, which stand next to each other, were changed. Between 1762 and 1848 they were onion-shaped, later, between 1869 and 1886, they had a simple spire shape. After another fire, they were given a so-called helmet shape. During the First World War there was a nationwide reclamation of bells, which were used to make weapons. In 1917, the Burian Tower lost them as well. Therefore, in 1923 the company Richard Herold from Chomutov produced six new bells. They are still in the tower today. During the last reconstruction in 1941, a narrow observation deck was added to the tower. Eighty-eight steps lead up to it - first stone, then wooden - and during the ascent it is possible to walk alongside the bells. The terrace offers a magnificent panoramic view of the town of Žilina and the surrounding mountains. Tours of Burian's Tower are provided by the Žilina Information Centre.