Medzilaborce
Encyclopedia
Medzilaborce is a town in northeastern Slovakia
close to the border with Poland
, located near the towns of Sanok
and Bukowsko
(in southeastern Małopolska). Its population is approximately 6,600.
It is home to the Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art
, opened in 1991, which contains many artworks and effects of Andy Warhol
and of his brother Paul and nephew James Warhola
. Warhol's mother, Julia Warhola
, was born and lived with her husband in the village of Miková
, 17 km to the west.
Medzilaborce is situated in one of the least developed regions of Slovakia. There are three churches in the town.
City parts:
The town of Medzilaborce lies in the valley of the Laborec river in north-eastern Slovakia. The hills of the surrounding Laborec Highlands
are typical of this countryside.
and Medzilaborce and further on to Galicia via the Lupkov Pass, which contributed to the growth of the town from 724 inhabitants in 1851 to 1561 citizens in 1910. During World War I
, Russian troops entered the town in February 1915 and stayed there until May 1915, leaving the town significantly damaged. During the first Czechoslovak republic, there was massive unemployment, and many people emigrated from the town. The town was significantly damaged again during World War II
. It was the seat of the district until 1960, when it was merged with the Humenné district. It has again been the seat of the Medzilaborce district since 1996.
and 255 Hungarian. More than one third of the population (34.3%) were Jewish. The town had a high percentage of Rusyns
before World War II
.
According to the 2001 census
, the town had 6,741 inhabitants. 56.42% of inhabitants were Slovaks
, 34.16% Rusyns
, 6.13% Ukrainian, 1.11% Roma and 0.68% Czechs
. The religious makeup was 41.15% Greek Catholics, 40.07% Orthodox
, 4.94% people with no religious affiliation, 10.15% Roman Catholics and 0.33% Lutherans.
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...
close to the border with 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...
, located near the towns of Sanok
Sanok
Sanok is a town in south-eastern Poland with 39,110 inhabitants, as of 2 June 2009. It's the capital of Sanok County in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. Previously, it was in the Krosno Voivodeship and in the Ruthenian Voivodeship , which was part of the Lesser Poland province...
and Bukowsko
Bukowsko
Bukowsko is a village in Sanok County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, Poland. It's in the Bukowsko Upland mountains, parish in loco, located near the towns of Medzilaborce and Palota . During the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth it was in Lesser Poland prowincja.-Characteristics:Bukowsko is the...
(in southeastern Małopolska). Its population is approximately 6,600.
Characteristics
It is an administrative and cultural centre of the Laborec Region. A train line connects it with the town of Humenné to the south and with Poland to the north. The private sector and service industries are developing quickly in the town at the moment.It is home to the Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art
Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art
The Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art in Medzilaborce, Slovakia was established in 1991 by the American family of the artist Andy Warhol and the Slovak Ministry of Culture...
, opened in 1991, which contains many artworks and effects of Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
and of his brother Paul and nephew James Warhola
James Warhola
James Warhola is an American artist who has illustrated more than two dozen children's books since 1987.A native of Smock, a coal-mining region in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh, and of Rusyn origin, he is the son of Paul Warhola, Andy Warhol's oldest brother. James received a BFA...
. Warhol's mother, Julia Warhola
Julia Warhola
Júlia Varcholová, born Júlia Justína Zavacká, was the mother of the American artist Andy Warhol.-Life:...
, was born and lived with her husband in the village of Miková
Miková
Miková or Mikó in Hungarian, is a village and municipality in the former Eperjes County of the Kingdom of Hungary. The area was transferred to the newly formed Czechoslovakia in 1920 following the Treaty of Trianon...
, 17 km to the west.
Medzilaborce is situated in one of the least developed regions of Slovakia. There are three churches in the town.
Geography
- Medzilaborce
- BorovBorovBorov is a village in Slovakia. Now a city part of Medzilaborce, it was a separate municipality until 1971....
- Vydraň
The town of Medzilaborce lies in the valley of the Laborec river in north-eastern Slovakia. The hills of the surrounding Laborec Highlands
Laborec Highlands
The Laborec Highlands is a mountain range in northwestern Slovakia, part of the Lower Beskids of the Outer Eastern Carpathians....
are typical of this countryside.
History
The oldest written record connected with Medzilaborce dates back to 1543. The village first belonged to the Drugeth family, but passed to the Csáky family in the 17th century and later in the 19th century to the Andrassy family manor. As early as the 17th century, an important trade route passed through Medzilaborce connecting the interior of Slovakia with Poland through the Lupkov Pass. Medzilaborce became a town in 1860. In 1873, construction of the train track between HumennéHumenné
Humenné is a town in the Prešov Region in eastern Slovakia and the second largest town of the historic Zemplín region. It lies at the volcanic Vihorlat mountains and at the confluence of the Laborec and Cirocha Rivers.-Characteristics:...
and Medzilaborce and further on to Galicia via the Lupkov Pass, which contributed to the growth of the town from 724 inhabitants in 1851 to 1561 citizens in 1910. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Russian troops entered the town in February 1915 and stayed there until May 1915, leaving the town significantly damaged. During the first Czechoslovak republic, there was massive unemployment, and many people emigrated from the town. The town was significantly damaged again during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was the seat of the district until 1960, when it was merged with the Humenné district. It has again been the seat of the Medzilaborce district since 1996.
Demographics
In 1910 the town had 1,561 inhabitants, 677 Ruthenian, 501 GermanGermans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
and 255 Hungarian. More than one third of the population (34.3%) were Jewish. The town had a high percentage of Rusyns
Rusyns
Carpatho-Rusyns are a primarily diasporic ethnic group who speak an Eastern Slavic language, or Ukrainian dialect, known as Rusyn. Carpatho-Rusyns descend from a minority of Ruthenians who did not adopt the use of the ethnonym "Ukrainian" in the early twentieth century...
before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
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...
, the town had 6,741 inhabitants. 56.42% 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...
, 34.16% Rusyns
Rusyns
Carpatho-Rusyns are a primarily diasporic ethnic group who speak an Eastern Slavic language, or Ukrainian dialect, known as Rusyn. Carpatho-Rusyns descend from a minority of Ruthenians who did not adopt the use of the ethnonym "Ukrainian" in the early twentieth century...
, 6.13% Ukrainian, 1.11% Roma and 0.68% Czechs
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
. The religious makeup was 41.15% Greek Catholics, 40.07% Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, 4.94% people with no religious affiliation, 10.15% Roman Catholics and 0.33% Lutherans.
External links
- Unofficial website of Medzilaborce
- Medzilaborce: Modern art in a desolate town by Chris Togneri for the Spectacular Slovakia travel guide
- Catholic church of Byzantine rite in Medzilaborce
- The Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art - city of origin
- Andy Warhol in Slovakia by Robert Rigney