Martin, Slovakia
Encyclopedia
Martin is a city in northern Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...

, situated on the Turiec river
Turiec River (Váh)
The Turiec is a river in north-western Slovakia. It is a tributary to the Váh, into which it flows near the city of Martin. Its source is in the Veľká Fatra Mountains. The Turiec county is named after this river....

, between the Malá Fatra
Lesser Fatra
Lesser Fatra is a mountain range in the Western Carpathians in the north-west of Central Slovakia. In the geomorphological system, it is a part of the Fatra-Tatra Area....

 and Veľká Fatra
Greater Fatra
Greater Fatra or Veľká Fatra is a mountain range in the Western Carpathians in Slovakia. In the geomorphological system, it is a part of the Fatra-Tatra Area. It is situated approximately among the towns of Ružomberok, Harmanec, Turčianske Teplice and Martin...

 mountains, near the city of Žilina
Žilina
Žilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of approximately 85,000, an important industrial center, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a...

. The population numbers approximately 58,000, which makes it the eighth largest city in Slovakia. It is the center of the Turiec region
Turiec
Turóc , , /comitatus Thurociensis) is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary...

 and the District of Martin
Martin District
Martin District is a district in the Žilina Region of central Slovakia.Until 1918, the district was part of the Hungarian county of Turiec.- Municipalities :*Belá-Dulice*Benice*Blatnica*Bystrička*Diaková*Dolný Kalník*Dražkovce...

.

History

From the second half of the 10th century until 1918, it was part of the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...

. The first recorded reference to Martin in written sources is dated to 1284 under the name of Vila Sancti Martini.

In the turbulent 15th century, Martin suffered from many disasters, for example from the attack of the Hussites in 1433, when the town was burned down. Just 10 years later, it was destroyed again by an earthquake and Martin started to be slowly degraded from royal to the privileged town and under direct influence of the Révay
Révay
The Révay Family was a Hungarian noble family, who owned estates in Turóc county, the Kingdom of Hungary until the early 20th century. Their property included i.a...

 family.

Since the 18th century, Martin became centre of the Turóc county.

The town became the foremost Slovak cultural center in the 19th century
Century
A century is one hundred consecutive years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages .-Start and end in the Gregorian Calendar:...

. Several cultural institutions (including Slovak Matica and Slovak National Museum
Slovak National Museum
The Slovak National Museum is the most important institution focusing on scientific research and cultural education in the field of museological activity in Slovakia...

) were founded there. Most political activities leading to the Slovak national emancipation in the 19th and early 20th centuries were organized in or from Martin. The town was also industrialized at this time. The first printing works were established in 1869, the furniture factory Tatra nábytok in 1890, and so on.

The town lost some of its importance after Pressburg (today's Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...

) became the capital of Slovakia in 1919. Today, it is the seat of the Slovak National Library
Slovak National Library
The Slovenská národná knižnica is the legal deposit and copyright for Slovakia. It is located in Martin.- External links :...

 and Slovak Matica
Matica slovenská
The Matica slovenská Mother) is Slovakia's public-law cultural and scientific institution focusing on topics around the Slovak nation. It is based in the city of Martin...

.

National Council of the Slovak Republic
National Council of the Slovak Republic
The National Council of the Slovak Republic , abbreviated to NR SR, is the national parliament of Slovakia. It is unicameral, and consists of 150 MPs, who are elected by universal suffrage under proportional representation every four years....

 declared the City of Martin the center of national culture of the Slovaks on August 24, 1994.

Geography

Martin lies at an altitude of 395 metres (1,296 ft) above sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...

 and covers an area of 67.74 square kilometres (26.2 sq mi). It is located in northern Slovakia, in the Turiec Basin
Turiec Basin
The Turiec Basin is located in the northern part of central Slovakia, within the Fatra-Tatra Area of the Inner Western Carpathians.The basin is delimited by the mountain ranges of Veľká Fatra to the east, Malá Fatra to the west and north, as well as Žiar and Kremnica Mountains to the south. The...

, just south of the confluence of the Turiec
Turiec River (Váh)
The Turiec is a river in north-western Slovakia. It is a tributary to the Váh, into which it flows near the city of Martin. Its source is in the Veľká Fatra Mountains. The Turiec county is named after this river....

 River with Váh
Váh
The Váh is the longest river in entire Slovakia. A left tributary of the Danube river, the Váh is 406 km long, including its Čierny Váh branch...

. Mountain ranges in the proximity of the city are Lesser Fatra
Lesser Fatra
Lesser Fatra is a mountain range in the Western Carpathians in the north-west of Central Slovakia. In the geomorphological system, it is a part of the Fatra-Tatra Area....

 and Greater Fatra
Greater Fatra
Greater Fatra or Veľká Fatra is a mountain range in the Western Carpathians in Slovakia. In the geomorphological system, it is a part of the Fatra-Tatra Area. It is situated approximately among the towns of Ružomberok, Harmanec, Turčianske Teplice and Martin...

, more to the south are Žiar
Žiar (mountain range)
Žiar is a mountain range in the Trenčín Region of northwestern Slovakia, part of the ranges of the Fatra-Tatra Area of the Inner Western Carpathians....

 and Kremnica Mountains
Kremnica Mountains
The Kremnica Mountains are a volcanic mountain range in central Slovakia. They are part of the Western Carpathians and the Slovenské stredohorie Mts.The mountain range is situated east of the town of Kremnica, which gave it its name...

. The nearest major cities are Žilina
Žilina
Žilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of approximately 85,000, an important industrial center, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a...

, 30 kilometres (19 mi) away to the north-west, Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia...

, 60 kilometres (37 mi) away to the south-east and capital Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...

, 230 kilometres (143 mi) to the south-west (by road).
Martin has 10 boroughs: Jahodníky, Ľadoveň, Stred, Sever, Košúty, Podháj, Stráne, Priekopa, Tomčany and Záturčie.

Climate

Martin lies in the north temperate zone
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...

 and has a continental climate
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...

 with four distinct seasons. It is characterized by a significant variation between hot summers and cold, snowy winters. Average annual temperature is around 7 °C (44.6 °F) and average annual rainfall is 750 – 860 mm. most of the rainfall is in June and in the first half of July. Snow cover lasts from 60 to 80 days per year.

Demographics

Martin has a population of 58000 (as of December 31, 2009). According to the 2001 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

, 94.9% of inhabitants were Slovaks
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...

, 1.6% Czechs, 0.5% Roma, and 0.2% Hungarians. The religious makeup was 44.1% Roman Catholics, 31.2% people with no religious affiliation, and 17.2% Lutherans.

Sights

The oldest building is a Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...

 church dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours (13th century). The Slovak National Museum placed its ethnographic collection in Martin. An open air museum in the suburbs, the Museum of the Slovak Village
Museum of the Slovak Village
The large open-air Museum of the Slovak Village is situated on the outskirts of the northern city of Martin in Slovakia. It was established since the 1960s by the Slovak National Museum in Martin...

 (Jahodnícke háje), exhibits the traditional rural architecture and folk traditions of the region of Turiec
Turiec
Turóc , , /comitatus Thurociensis) is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary...

. The Slovak National Cemetery
National Cemetery in Martin
The National Cemetery in Martin, Slovakia is the final resting place of many important personalities of Slovak history. The list includes writers, poets, national activists, pedagogues, etc....

 is the official Slovak hall of fame, inspired by the Panthéon in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

.
The Slovak Chamber Theatre in Martin was established in 1944 as the second professional theatre company in Slovakia. The theatre building is a landmark of the city center.

Martin is surrounded by Malá Fatra
Lesser Fatra
Lesser Fatra is a mountain range in the Western Carpathians in the north-west of Central Slovakia. In the geomorphological system, it is a part of the Fatra-Tatra Area....

 and Veľká Fatra
Greater Fatra
Greater Fatra or Veľká Fatra is a mountain range in the Western Carpathians in Slovakia. In the geomorphological system, it is a part of the Fatra-Tatra Area. It is situated approximately among the towns of Ružomberok, Harmanec, Turčianske Teplice and Martin...

 mountains, which in winter offer excellent conditions for skiing and in summer for hiking.

Economy

Martin is home to a Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....

 owned automotive industry
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....

 production plant, under the Volkswagen Slovakia, a.s. subsidiary. Opened in 2000, it employs approximately 800 people. The city has been hit, rather, hard by the current recession as Volkswages was forced to lay off over 200 workers. The Danish shoe company Ecco is situated near to the Kosuty II borough. Next to the city center (downtown) are two big employers, namely Neografia Martin (printing company) and the University hospital.
Other well known companies are SKANSKA, Viena International and Hoechst-Biotika. Some important companies are located near to the city of Martin like ŽOS Vrútky or Prefa Sučany.
Due to economic crisis the unemployment rate rose to 10 % but is still below national average rate. During the best years, the unempleyment rate was approximately 5 %

Education

The Jessenius Faculty of Medicine (part of Comenius University
Comenius University in Bratislava
Comenius University in Bratislava is the largest university in Slovakia, with most of its faculties located in Bratislava. It was founded in 1919, shortly after the creation of Czechoslovakia. It is named after Jan Amos Comenius, a 17th century Czech teacher and philosopher.In 2006, Comenius...

) is situated in Martin. Up to 400 Norwegian medical students are currently studying in Martin. Wintersport is very popular among the Norwegian students. The city's system of primary education consists of nine public schools, two private primary schools and two religious primary schools, enrolling in total 5,027 pupils. There is currently a plan to build a five story high school near the main square. When completed, it will be largest educational building in Slovakia apart from universities. The school will be named after Andrej Hlinka, a former Slovak politician. Secondary education is represented by two gymnasia with 828 students, three specialized high schools with 1,050 students, and three vocational schools with 2,501 students (data as of 2007).

Transport

Martin is near the main Slovak road from Bratislava to Košice, as well as being near the main railway.
It is connected directly to Žilina
Žilina
Žilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of approximately 85,000, an important industrial center, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a...

, Turčianske Teplice
Turcianske Teplice
Turčianske Teplice is a town in central Slovakia in the Žilina Region. It is about halfway between Martin and Kremnica. As of 2005 the town's population was 6,941...

 and Ružomberok
Ružomberok
Ružomberok is a town in northern Slovakia, in the historical Liptov region. It has a population of around 30,000-Geography:...

.

Public transport is not only in Martin itself, but it also extends to the surrounding town of Vrútky
Vrútky
Vrútky ; ) is a town in northern Slovakia, close to the city of Martin. It lies in the historic Turiec region.-Geography:The town lies at the confluence of the Váh and the Turiec, in the Turčianska kotlina, near the Malá Fatra mountain range. It is located north of the city of Martin, with which...

 and to three villages (Bystrička
Bystricka
Bystrička is a village and municipality in Martin District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 450 metres and covers an area of 19.122km². It has a population of about 1375 people.-External links:...

, Lipovec, Turčianske Kľačany
Turcianske Klacany
Turčianske Kľačany is a village and municipality in Martin District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 410 metres and covers an area of 12.206km². It has a population of about 840 people....

)

Martin is also served by Martin Airport
Martin Airport (Slovakia)
Martin Airport is a small glider airport located in Martin, Slovakia.-References:* International Civil Aviation Organization, Location Indicators, Edition No. 128 , p. 4-40....

, a small, general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...

 airport used for gliding
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...

.

Twin towns - sister cities

Martin is twinned
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...

 with: Gotha
Gotha (town)
Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...

, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 Hoogeveen
Hoogeveen
Hoogeveen is a municipality and a town in the northeastern Netherlands.- Population centres :Elim, Fluitenberg, Hoogeveen and Noordscheschut, which still have the canals which used to be throughout the town...

, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 Karviná
Karviná
Karviná is a city in Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic, on the Olza River. It is administrative center of Karviná District. Karviná lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia and is one of the most important coal mining centers in the Czech Republic. Together with neighboring...

, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

 Jičín
Jicín
Jičín is a town in the Hradec Králové Region of the Czech Republic. It lies approximately 85 km northeast of Prague in the scenic region of the Bohemian Paradise under the Prachov Rocks ....

, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

 Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...

, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

 (since 1996) Skoczów
Skoczów
Skoczów is a town and the seat of Gmina Skoczów in Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland with 14,783 inhabitants . It lies in the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia....

, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

 Bački Petrovac
Backi Petrovac
Bački Petrovac is a town and municipality in the South Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...

, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...


Notable people

  • Janko Alexy
    Janko Alexy
    Janko Alexy was a famous painter, writer, and publicist of Slovak origin. He is generally recognized as one of key personalities in the beginning of Modern Slovak Art.He studied at the Academy of Visual Arts in Prague by Vlaho Bukovac, Maximilian Pirner and Max Švabinský...

    , painter
  • Miloš Alexander Bazovský
    Miloš Alexander Bazovský
    Miloš Alexander Bazovský was an eminent Slovak painter, often ranked among the most prominent figures of 20th century art from Slovakia.-Further reading:*Cincík, J.: Miloš A. Bazovský...

    , painter
  • Martin Benka
    Martin Benka
    Martin Benka was a Slovak painter and illustrator. He is regarded as the founder of Modernist 20th century Slovak painting...

    , painter
  • Barbora Bobulová
    Barbora Bobulová
    Barbora Bobuľová is a Slovak actress.Born in Martin, Slovakia, Bobuľová trained at the National Drama Academy in Bratislava before moving to Italy in 1995...

    , actress
  • Ľuboš Kostelný
    Ľuboš Kostelný
    - Biography :He was born 5 July 1981 in Martin, Czechoslovakia. He studied the Conservatory and VŠMU in Bratislava. He is a member of the ensemble of the Slovak National Theatre....

    , actor
  • Zdeno Cíger
    Zdeno Cíger
    Zdeno Cíger is a retired Slovak professional hockey player who played for the National Hockey League's New Jersey Devils, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning. Zdeno Cíger was drafted 54th overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils as their 3rd choice...

    , ice hockey player, bronze medal at the WCH 1989, 1990, 2003
  • Matúš Daňko
    Matúš Daňko
    Matúš Daňko is a Slovakian ski mountaineer and has been member of the SSA national squad since 2007.Danko was born in Martin. He started ski mountaineering in 2000 and competed first in a race in Štrbské Pleso in 2004...

    , ski mountaineer
  • Janko Jesenský
    Janko Jesenský
    Janko Jesenský was a Slovak lower nobleman, poet, prose writer, translator, and politician. He was a prominent member of the Slovak national movement.- External links :*...

    , writer
  • Andrej Kmeť
    Andrej Kmet
    Andrej Kmeť Andrej Kmeť Andrej Kmeť (November 19, 1841, Szénásfalu, Kingdom of Hungary (today Bzenica, Slovakia) - February 16, 1908, Turócszentmárton (today Martin, Slovakia) was a Slovak botanist, ethnographer, archaeologist, and geologist. He identified several new species of plants and created...

    , scientist
  • Miloslav Schmidt
    Miloslav Schmidt
    Miloslav Schmidt was born in the family of an innkeeper and baker. After finishing school in Kremnica and completing training at his father's bakery Schmidt became the leading figure of the family business. He also used his skills in the area of culture and national revival...

    , organizer of fire brigades
  • Róbert Švehla
    Róbert Švehla
    Róbert Švehla is a Slovak retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL for 9 seasons from 1995 until 2003.- Career :Švehla was drafted 78th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft, but he did not play a game for them before moving on to the Florida Panthers...

    , ice hockey player, bronze medal at the WCH 1992, 2003
  • Radovan Somík
    Radovan Somík
    Radovan Somík is a Slovak professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for Pardubice HC in the Czech Extraliga. He previously played two seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers from 2002 to 2004....

    ,ice hockey player, world champion at the WCH 2002
  • Paula Voit, mother of the composer Béla Bartók
    Béla Bartók
    Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...

  • Jaroslav Katriňák
    Jaroslav Katriňák
    Jaroslav Katriňák is a Slovak endurance motorcycle racer. Among his greatest achievements is achieving first overall in the Enduro World Championship in 1991, in the category of + 350 cc 4T and 9th overall place at 2007 Dakar Rally in the motorcycles classification. In the summer of 2008 he won...

    , endurance motorcycle racer, 9th overall place at 2007 Dakar Rally
  • Lucia Klocová
    Lucia Klocová
    Lucia Klocová is a Slovak middle distance athlete, who specialises in the 800 metres. She represented Slovakia at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games...

    , athlete, who specialises in the 800 metres
  • Stanislav Jančárik, or Estanislao Jancarik (in Spanish), architect who designed many building in Buenos Aires

External links

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