Rising 38 metres above the central Miners' Square in Rožňava, the Strážna veža — or Watch Tower — is one of southern Slovakia's most striking landmarks. A climb to its upper floors rewards you with sweeping views over the town and surrounding hills, all wrapped in centuries of history.

The tower stands right at the heart of a lively town square, framed by colourful baroque facades and pavement cafés. On the eighth floor, where a guard once scanned the horizon for Ottoman raiders, you can now take in a 360-degree panorama. The atmosphere shifts beautifully with the seasons — summer brings a buzzing square below, autumn bathes the baroque shingle roof in warm golden light, and winter turns the rooftops of Rožňava into a scene straight from a storybook.

• Rožňava town centre (Miners' Square) — the tower stands directly on the square, accessible on foot from anywhere in the centre — easy, no hiking required

• Open to visitors as a viewpoint since 1997
• Fully renovated in late 2016 (September–December)
• Check current opening hours before your visit, as they vary by season
• Look out for the commemorative stone plaque on the south wall, featuring the town coat of arms and an original Turkish cannonball

Did you know that this tower once housed the most accurate clock in the entire Kingdom of Hungary? Construction began in 1643 as a defence against Ottoman incursions, and a single original bell — cast by Buchner in 1934 — still hangs inside to this day.