Nitra
Encyclopedia
Nitra is a city in western Slovakia
, situated at the foot of Zobor Mountain in the valley of the river Nitra. With a population of about 83,572, it is the fifth largest city in Slovakia. Nitra is also one of the oldest cities in Slovakia and the country's earliest political and cultural center. Today, it is a seat of a kraj
(Nitra Region
) and an okres
(Nitra District
).
. The name might originate in the Germanic
word Nitrahwa, meaning "flowing water".
ic settlement was founded in the 4th century BCE in the locality Martinský vrch. Nitra is later (396 CE) mentioned in connection to the Germanic tribe of Quadi
, as their possible capital.
The first Slavs
arrived in the 5th century. Nitra became the capital of the Principality of Nitra
, the oldest known independent state in the present-day Slovakia. The first known Christian church built by the Western or Eastern Slavs was consecrated in 828 at the seat of the ruling prince Pribina
, and in the same year the town was first mentioned as Nitrawa. In 833, Pribina was ousted from Nitra by the Moravian prince Mojmír I
and both principalities were united into the early medieval empire of Great Moravia
. The Principality of Nitra was usually given to the heir of the Great Moravian throne as an appanage. But the practice eventually threatened unity of Great Moravia. Using rich resources of Nitra, both Prince Svätopluk I
and Prince Svätopluk II
revolted against their formal sovereigns. The level of autonomy they enjoyed was considerable, as documented by the Papal correspondence, addressing Svätopluk I of Nitra in the same way as two contemporaneous rulers of independent countries (Rastislav
of Great Moravia, and Koceľ
of the Balaton Principality
).
The city reached its height during the reign of Svätopluk I, who was the prince of Nitra from the 850s to 871 and then the king of Great Moravia until 894. The first known Christian bishopric
in Slovakia was established in Nitra in 880 (with Wiching as the bishop) and the first monastery in Slovakia was built on the Zobor Mountain during 880–881. During Svätopluk's rule, Nitra consisted of five large fortified settlements and twenty specialized craftsmen's villages, making it a real metropolis of its times. Several churches, for example in the Nitra Castle
, Párovce, Nitrianska Blatnica, Lupka, Zobor, and Kostoľany pod Tribečom
existed in and around today's Nitra during the 9th and 10th centuries. Located beyond the city limits are the Great Moravian settlements of Chrenová, Lupka, Branč
, Vráble
and Zlaté Moravce
.
After the break-up of Great Moravia in 906/907, Nitra was ruled by Üllö(Jelekh), the son of Árpád
. The Great Moravian appanage system was adopted by the Árpád dynasty
of the newly established Kingdom of Hungary
. As with much of the present-day Slovakia, Nitra was conquered by the Polish king Boleslaus I in 1003 or 1015 and stayed as part of Poland until 1018. As the seat of heir of the dynasty, Nitra kept its autonomous status until 1108. Even after the abolishment of the principality, Nitra remained the capital of the Nitra county and a seat of a bishop (since 1110). The town survived the invasion of Mongols
in 1241. In 1248, Béla IV
gave Nitra the privileges of a free royal town. However, the privileges lasted only for 40 years and became a landlord's town. During the course of time, Nitra was controlled by Matthew Csák in the early 14th century, was affected by insurrections against Sigismund of Luxembourg and was a target of Hussite
attacks in the 15th century. After the Hungarian defeat at the Battle of Mohács
in 1526 and subsequent Ottoman advances into the Hungarian territory, Nitra was under threat of Ottoman attacks. They failed to capture the castle three times, before they conquered it in 1663, when the city became a center of the Litra sanjak
, which bounded to Uyvar
eyalet. The town was reconquered in 1685. The town was also affected by anti-Habsburg uprisings, from Stephen Bocskay
and Gabriel Bethlen
uprisings in the 17th century to the Kuruc
uprisings from 1703 to 1711, and the town burned down in 1708 as a result of fights. It was renovated in the 18th century in the Baroque
style. As a consequence of the Revolutions of 1848
, Nitra was awarded an independent self-government for the first time since 1288 and became independent from the Diocese of Nitra and its bishops. Still an agricultural and handicraft town, Nitra started to industrialize. Until World War I, distillery, agricultural machines factory, brewery, dairy and other works were established. The first indirect connection to a railway was a road built in 1850 to the closest station in Trnovec nad Váhom
. The railway finally arrived to Nitra in 1876, when a connection from Šurany
was built. Later, lines were built to Topoľčany
, Hlohovec and Nové Zámky
. As a part of Magyarization
, from 1883 to 1919, Nitra was the seat of the Upper Hungarian Teaching Association (FEMKE), a government-sponsored association whose main goal was to apply Magyarization policies on Slovaks
After World War I
and disintegration of Austria-Hungary
, the Czechoslovak Legions
occupied the town since 10 December 1918 to secure the rule of newly established Czechoslovakia
. Nitra continued to be the seat of the Nitra county, until it was dissolved in 1928. After break-up of Czechoslovakia in 1939, Nitra became a part of the First Slovak Republic and once again a seat of Nitra county until 1945.
The period of the First Slovak Republic was tragic for the numerous Jewish population of Nitra, which was first victimized by the anti-Jewish law and then mostly exterminated in German concentration camps. The rest of Jews fled the city and country.
The city was liberated by the Soviet Red Army
in 1945, for only three years of restored democracy in Czechoslovakia.
The Communist period from 1948 to 1989 was marked by oppression of Catholic church, which has traditionally strong presence in Nitra. Catholic seminaries, monasteries and other properties were nationalized and converted to museums, schools and offices. This period experienced the extensive growth, building the housing projects and annexing of formerly independent villages. After the Velvet Revolution
of 1989 and dissolution of Czechoslovakia
, Nitra became part of newly established Slovakia and became a seat of the Nitra Region
in 1996.
and covers an area of 100.48 square kilometres (38.8 sq mi). It is located in the Nitra River
valley in the Danubian Lowland
, where the bigger part of the city is located. A smaller part is located at the southernmost reaches of the Tribeč
mountains, more precisely at the foothill of the Zobor mountain (587 m). It is around half-way between Slovak capital Bratislava
, 92 kilometres (57 mi) away and central Slovak city of Banská Bystrica
, 118 kilometres (73 mi) away. Other towns in the surroundings include Trnava
to the west (53 km), Topoľčany
to the north (35 km), Levice
to the east (42 km), and Nové Zámky
(37 km) and Komárno
(71 km) to the south. A national natural reservation called Zoborská lesostep is located within the city's boundaries.
and has a continental climate
with four distinct seasons. It is characterized by a significant variation between hot summers and cold, snowy winters. The city is located in the warmest and driest part of Slovakia.
, 95.4% of inhabitants were Slovaks
, 1.7% Hungarians, 0.9% Czechs, and 0.4%
Roma. The religious make-up was 74.2% Roman Catholics, 17.2% people with no religious affiliation, and 2.8% Lutherans.
The demographics changed dramatically during the 20th century; in 1910, from total population of 16 419: 9754 were Hungarians, 4929 Slovaks and 1636 Germans - Jews are hidden under these nationalities, estimated one quarter of total population. In 1940, Nitra was home to 4358 Jews.
in 2008 for the whole Nitra region was €
10,508, which was below Slovakia's average (€12,395).
Nitra's traditional enterprises used to be brewery, grain mill, food processing plants and other food-related industry. In the new free trade economy after 1989, and after entering European Union and Euro currency club only the wine bottling plant is left. Out of the factories started under the communist regime 1948-1989, the plastic processing plant is still doing well. However, the new business is booming. The most prevalent industries are electronics and car parts, concentrated in the new business park.
The city plans to have in 2011 a balanced budget of 42 mil. €.
The flight operator Aero Slovakia
has its head office on the grounds of Nitra Airport.
Notable religious structures located in Nitra are St. Emmeram's Cathedral in Nitra castle, a Piarist
church of St. Ladislaus and the adjacent monastery.
The oldest church of the city is the Saint Stephen church, which was built in the 11th-12th century, while the fundamentum of the building was constructed in the 9th century.
The monastery on Piaristicka street was founded in the 13th-14th century. Its dominant church of St. Ladislaus was later destroyed by a fire and remodelled in 1742-1748 in baroque
style. Two towers were also added. The main altar has a beautiful statue ornamentation which the portraits of Saint Stephen and Ladislaus I of Hungary. The interior was renovated in 1940 and three modern fresco
s depicting themes from Slovak history of Nitra were created.
The old town (Staré Mesto) is dominated by the castle (Hrad), which is one of the most interesting ancient structures in Slovakia. Archeological findings in the past decades indicate that a large fortified castle had already stood here at the time of Samo
's Empire, in the seventh century. Recent archaeological findings prove the existence of a church from the ninth century beneath the more recent Gothic St. Emmeram's Cathedral. The construction of the stone castle began during the 9th century during the reign of the Prince of Nitra Svätopluk. The castle currently serves as the seat of one of Roman Catholic bishoprics in Slovakia, which was founded in 880 as the first bishopric of western and eastern Slavs, which continued its existence since the, with the break from the 10th century until around 1110.
The Dražovce church
is a remarkable example of the early Romanesque architecture
.
The synagogue was built in 1908-1911 for the Neolog Jewish community. It was designed by Lipót (Leopold) Baumhorn (1860–1932), the prolific Budapest-based synagogue architect. Located in a narrow lane, the building is a characteristic example of Baumhorn's style. A mélange of Moorish, Byzantine and Art Nouveau elements, it faces the street with a two-tower façade. The sanctuary is a domed hall supported by four pillars that also support the women’s gallery. After more than a decade of painstaking restoration by the municipality of Nitra, the building is now used as a center for cultural activities. The women's gallery houses "The Fate of Slovak Jews" – Slovakia's national Holocaust memorial exhibition. The synagogue serves as a permanent exhibition space for graphic works by the Nitra-born Israeli artist Shraga Weil
.
The most powerful medium wave transmitter of Slovakia, running on 1098 kHz, was situated in Nitra at Velke Kostolany
until recently. This transmitter could broadcast throughout all of Europe at night. Since 2003, however, it has operated on lower output to save energy cost, and has transmitted regional programming only.
The Virgin Mary's mission house at the Calvary hill was built in 1765 for Spanish order of Nazarens. They were taking care of the church and pilgrims. Later, the building served as an orphanage. In 1878-85 this building was rebuilt in the Novoromanesque style and in 1925 one new floor was added to the building. The building as we know it today is a work of Slovak architect M. M. Harminec. Nowadays the whole building is mission house of The Divine Word Society. The Mission museum of nations and cultures is located in this building.
and the city council
(Slovak: mestské zastupiteľstvo). The mayor is the head of the city and its chief executive. The term of office is four years. The current mayor, Jozef Dvonč, was re-elected in 2010. He is supported by the following political parties: Smer-SD, KDH
, SNS, SF
and HZD
. The city council is the legislative body, with 31 council members.
The city is divided into 13 urban districts (boroughs): Dolné Krškany, Horné Krškany, Staré Mesto, Čermáň, Klokočina, Diely, Párovské Háje, Kynek, Mlynárce, Zobor, Dražovce, Chrenová and Janíkovce.
, with 10,297 students, including 430 doctoral students. The city's system of primary education consists of 14 public schools and three religious primary schools, enrolling in overall 6,945 pupils. Secondary education is represented by five gymnasia with 3,349 students, 8 specialized high schools with 3,641 students, and 5 vocational schools with 3,054 students.
Nitra used to be the site of the Jewish school Yeshiva of Nitra
, the last surviving yeshiva in occupied Europe during World War II, associated with famous rabbis Chaim Michael Dov Weissmandl
and Shmuel Dovid Ungar
. The yeshiva was moved to Mount Kisco, New York, USA, after the second world war, where it still exists.
(labelled as "Highway of Death"), Vráble
and Nové Zámky.
Nitra railway station forms part of the railway line between Nové Zámky
/Šurany
and Prievidza
, which passes through Nitra, but is not a main line. There is a railway junction
a short distance north of the town, connecting the city with Leopoldov
, Topoľčany
and Radošina
.
Nitra also has its own recreational airfield. However, the closest international airport is the Bratislava Airport.
Local public transport is based on buses with 30 lines, covering the whole city, as well as extending to the neighbouring municipalities of Lužianky
, Nitrianske Hrnčiarovce
, Štitáre
, Ivanka pri Nitre
and Branč
(as of March 2008).
There was a chairlift leading to Zobor hill, however, it has been closed since 1994.
Nitra's main arts museum is Nitrianska Galéria.
, Horkýže Slíže
and Desmod
.
with:
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 at the foot of Zobor Mountain in the valley of the river Nitra. With a population of about 83,572, it is the fifth largest city in Slovakia. Nitra is also one of the oldest cities in Slovakia and the country's earliest political and cultural center. Today, it is a seat of a kraj
Regions of Slovakia
Since 1949 , Slovakia has been divided into a number of kraje . Their number, borders and functions have been changed several times. There are currently eight regions of Slovakia and they correspond to the EU's NUTS 3 level of local administrative units. Each kraj consists of okresy...
(Nitra Region
Nitra Region
The Nitra Region is one of the administrative regions of Slovakia.-Geography:This region with a long history is situated in the southwest of Slovakia, mostly in the eastern part of the Danubian Lowland. It is divided into two sub-units: the Danubian Flat in the south-west, with eastern part of the...
) and an okres
Districts of Slovakia
An okres is an administrative unit in Slovakia. It is inferior to a Region and superior to a municipality.-Characteristics:Several districts form a "Region"...
(Nitra District
Nitra District
Nitra District is a district inthe Nitra Region of western Slovakia. It is the most populated of Slovakia's 79 districts. Until 1918, most of the present-day district belonged to the Nitra county, apart from Vráble in the east which was part of the county of Tekov.- Municipalities...
).
Origin of the name
The first mention of Nitra dates back to 880 (other variations: 826 as Nitrawa, 880 as Nitra, and in 1111, 1113 as Nitra, Nitria). The name of the city is derived from the river NitraNitra River
The Nitra is a 197 km long river in western Slovakia. It flows into the Váh river close to its confluence with the Danube in Komárno. Its source is in the Malá Fatra mountains north of Prievidza. The river Nitra passes through the towns of Bojnice, Topoľčany, Nitra and Nové Zámky....
. The name might originate in the Germanic
Germanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
word Nitrahwa, meaning "flowing water".
History
Inhabited for 6,000 years, Nitra has been a city of extraordinary historic importance. A large CeltCelt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic settlement was founded in the 4th century BCE in the locality Martinský vrch. Nitra is later (396 CE) mentioned in connection to the Germanic tribe of Quadi
Quadi
The Quadi were a smaller Germanic tribe, about which little is definitively known. We only know the Germanic tribe the Romans called the 'Quadi' through reports of the Romans themselves...
, as their possible capital.
The first Slavs
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
arrived in the 5th century. Nitra became the capital of the Principality of Nitra
Principality of Nitra
The Principality of Nitra also Nitrian Principality or Slovak Principality is the name for a polity of Nitra Sloviens, centered on large agglomeration, a multi-tribal centre around Nitra, Slovakia. The initially independent Principality of Nitra came into existence in the early 9th century...
, the oldest known independent state in the present-day Slovakia. The first known Christian church built by the Western or Eastern Slavs was consecrated in 828 at the seat of the ruling prince Pribina
Pribina
Pribina was a Slavic prince whose adventurous career, recorded in the Conversion of the Bavarians and the Carantanians , illustrates the political volatility of the Franco–Slavic frontiers of his time...
, and in the same year the town was first mentioned as Nitrawa. In 833, Pribina was ousted from Nitra by the Moravian prince Mojmír I
Mojmír I
Mojmir I or Moimir I was the first known ruler of the Moravian Slavs . In modern scholarship, the creation of the early medieval state known as "Great" Moravia is attributed either to his or to his successors' expansionist policy...
and both principalities were united into the early medieval empire of Great Moravia
Great Moravia
Great Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as...
. The Principality of Nitra was usually given to the heir of the Great Moravian throne as an appanage. But the practice eventually threatened unity of Great Moravia. Using rich resources of Nitra, both Prince Svätopluk I
Svatopluk I
Svatopluk I or Zwentibald I was the greatest ruler of Moravia that attained its maximum territorial expansion in his reign . His career had already started in the 860s, when he governed a principality, the location of which is still a matter of debate among historians, within Moravia under the...
and Prince Svätopluk II
Svatopluk II
Svatopluk II ruled the Principality of Nitra from 894 to 906 and strove to control all of Great Moravia.Svatopluk II was a younger son of Svatopluk I. As Prince of Nitra, Svatopluk II was subordinated to his older brother Mojmír II, the King of Great Moravia which contained the principality as its...
revolted against their formal sovereigns. The level of autonomy they enjoyed was considerable, as documented by the Papal correspondence, addressing Svätopluk I of Nitra in the same way as two contemporaneous rulers of independent countries (Rastislav
Rastislav
Rastislav or Rostislav was the second known ruler of Moravia . Although he started his reign as vassal to Louis the German, king of East Francia, he consolidated his rule to the extent that after 855 he was able to repel a series of Frankish attacks...
of Great Moravia, and Koceľ
Kocel
Koceľ was the second Lord of Principality of Lower Pannonia centered in Blatnograd / Blatnohrad .-Early life:...
of the Balaton Principality
Balaton Principality
The Principality of Lower Pannonia was a Slavic principality located in the western part of the Pannonian plain, between the rivers Danube to its east The Principality of Lower Pannonia (also called Pannonia, Lower Pannonia, Pannonian Principality, Transdanubian Principality, Slavic Pannonian...
).
The city reached its height during the reign of Svätopluk I, who was the prince of Nitra from the 850s to 871 and then the king of Great Moravia until 894. The first known Christian bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
in Slovakia was established in Nitra in 880 (with Wiching as the bishop) and the first monastery in Slovakia was built on the Zobor Mountain during 880–881. During Svätopluk's rule, Nitra consisted of five large fortified settlements and twenty specialized craftsmen's villages, making it a real metropolis of its times. Several churches, for example in the Nitra Castle
Nitra Castle
Nitra Castle is a castle located in the Old Town of Nitra, Slovakia. It is a dominant of the city and a national cultural monument.It is the seat of the Diocese of Nitra. It is located at -History:...
, Párovce, Nitrianska Blatnica, Lupka, Zobor, and Kostoľany pod Tribečom
Kostolany pod Tribecom
Kostoľany pod Tribečom is a village and municipality in Zlaté Moravce District of the Nitra Region, in western-central Slovakia.-Geography:The municipality lies at an altitude of 245 metres and covers an area of 22.122 km²...
existed in and around today's Nitra during the 9th and 10th centuries. Located beyond the city limits are the Great Moravian settlements of Chrenová, Lupka, Branč
Branc
Branč is a village and municipality in the Nitra District in western centralSlovakia, in the Nitra Region.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 137 metres and covers an area of 13.808 km²...
, Vráble
Vráble
Vráble is a small town in the Nitra District, Nitra Region, western Slovakia.-Geography:It is located in the Danubian Hills on the Žitava river, about 20 km south-east-east from Nitra. The cadastral area of the town has an altitude from 140 to 240 m ASL...
and Zlaté Moravce
Zlaté Moravce
Zlaté Moravce is a town in south-western Slovakia.-Basic data:It is the capital and the biggest town of Zlaté Moravce District. It is approximately 120 km from the Slovak capital Bratislava and 32 km from Nitra.-History:...
.
After the break-up of Great Moravia in 906/907, Nitra was ruled by Üllö(Jelekh), the son of Árpád
Árpád
Árpád was the second Grand Prince of the Hungarians . Under his rule the Hungarian people settled in the Carpathian basin. The dynasty descending from him ruled the Hungarian tribes and later the Kingdom of Hungary until 1301...
. The Great Moravian appanage system was adopted by the Árpád dynasty
Árpád dynasty
The Árpáds or Arpads was the ruling dynasty of the federation of the Hungarian tribes and of the Kingdom of Hungary . The dynasty was named after Grand Prince Árpád who was the head of the tribal federation when the Magyars occupied the Carpathian Basin, circa 895...
of the newly established 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...
. As with much of the present-day Slovakia, Nitra was conquered by the Polish king Boleslaus I in 1003 or 1015 and stayed as part of Poland until 1018. As the seat of heir of the dynasty, Nitra kept its autonomous status until 1108. Even after the abolishment of the principality, Nitra remained the capital of the Nitra county and a seat of a bishop (since 1110). The town survived the invasion of Mongols
Battle of Mohi
The Battle of Mohi , or Battle of the Sajó River, was the main battle between the Mongol Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary during the Mongol invasion of Europe. It took place at Muhi, Southwest of the Sajó River. After the invasion, Hungary lay in ruins. Nearly half of the inhabited places had...
in 1241. In 1248, Béla IV
Béla IV of Hungary
Béla IV , King of Hungary and of Croatia , duke of Styria 1254–58. One of the most famous kings of Hungary, he distinguished himself through his policy of strengthening of the royal power following the example of his grandfather Bela III, and by the rebuilding Hungary after the catastrophe of the...
gave Nitra the privileges of a free royal town. However, the privileges lasted only for 40 years and became a landlord's town. During the course of time, Nitra was controlled by Matthew Csák in the early 14th century, was affected by insurrections against Sigismund of Luxembourg and was a target of Hussite
Hussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
attacks in the 15th century. After the Hungarian defeat at the Battle of Mohács
Battle of Mohács
The Battle of Mohács was fought on August 29, 1526 near Mohács, Hungary. In the battle, forces of the Kingdom of Hungary led by King Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia were defeated by forces of the Ottoman Empire led by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent....
in 1526 and subsequent Ottoman advances into the Hungarian territory, Nitra was under threat of Ottoman attacks. They failed to capture the castle three times, before they conquered it in 1663, when the city became a center of the Litra sanjak
Sanjak
Sanjaks were administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire. Sanjak, and the variant spellings sandjak, sanjaq, and sinjaq, are English transliterations of the Turkish word sancak, meaning district, banner, or flag...
, which bounded to Uyvar
Nové Zámky
Nové Zámky is a town in southwestern Slovakia.-Geography:The town is located on the Danubian Lowland, on the Nitra River, at an altitude of 119 metres. It is located around 100 km from Bratislava and around 25 km from the Hungarian border. It is a road and railway hub of southern...
eyalet. The town was reconquered in 1685. The town was also affected by anti-Habsburg uprisings, from Stephen Bocskay
Stephen Bocskay
Stephen Bocskai or István Bocskai Stephen Bocskai or István Bocskai Stephen Bocskai or István Bocskai (or Bocskay, (1 January 1557 – 29 December 1606) was a HungarianCalvinist nobleman, Prince of Transylvania (1605–06), who defended Hungarian interests when Hungary was divided into Ottoman...
and Gabriel Bethlen
Gabriel Bethlen
Gabriel Bethlen was a prince of Transylvania , duke of Opole and leader of an anti-Habsburg insurrection in the Habsburg Royal Hungary. His last armed intervention in 1626 was part of the Thirty Years' War...
uprisings in the 17th century to the Kuruc
Kuruc
The kuruc was a term used to denote the armed anti-Habsburg rebels in Royal Hungary between 1671 and 1711....
uprisings from 1703 to 1711, and the town burned down in 1708 as a result of fights. It was renovated in the 18th century in the Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
style. As a consequence of the Revolutions of 1848
Revolutions of 1848
The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations, Springtime of the Peoples or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe in 1848. It was the first Europe-wide collapse of traditional authority, but within a year reactionary...
, Nitra was awarded an independent self-government for the first time since 1288 and became independent from the Diocese of Nitra and its bishops. Still an agricultural and handicraft town, Nitra started to industrialize. Until World War I, distillery, agricultural machines factory, brewery, dairy and other works were established. The first indirect connection to a railway was a road built in 1850 to the closest station in Trnovec nad Váhom
Trnovec nad Váhom
Trnovec nad Váhom is a village and municipality in Šaľa District, in the Nitra Region of south-west Slovakia.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 115 metres and covers an area of 32.537 km².It has a population of about 2603 people.-People:...
. The railway finally arrived to Nitra in 1876, when a connection from Šurany
Šurany
Šurany is a town and a railroad hub in the Nové Zámky District, Nitra Region, southern Slovakia.Alongside the main settlement, it has the boroughs of Kostolný Sek and Nitriansky Hrádok, both annexed 1976....
was built. Later, lines were built to Topoľčany
Topolcany
Topoľčany .The name Topoľčany was assumed to be derived from topoľ, Slovak for poplar tree. Groves of these trees were once abundant on the banks of the Nitra River...
, Hlohovec and Nové Zámky
Nové Zámky
Nové Zámky is a town in southwestern Slovakia.-Geography:The town is located on the Danubian Lowland, on the Nitra River, at an altitude of 119 metres. It is located around 100 km from Bratislava and around 25 km from the Hungarian border. It is a road and railway hub of southern...
. As a part of Magyarization
Magyarization
Magyarization is a kind of assimilation or acculturation, a process by which non-Magyar elements came to adopt Magyar culture and language due to social pressure .Defiance or appeals to the Nationalities Law, met...
, from 1883 to 1919, Nitra was the seat of the Upper Hungarian Teaching Association (FEMKE), a government-sponsored association whose main goal was to apply Magyarization policies on Slovaks
After 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...
and disintegration of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, the Czechoslovak Legions
Czechoslovak Legions
The Czechoslovak Legions were volunteer armed forces composed predominantly of Czechs and Slovaks fighting together with the Entente powers during World War I...
occupied the town since 10 December 1918 to secure the rule of newly established Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. Nitra continued to be the seat of the Nitra county, until it was dissolved in 1928. After break-up of Czechoslovakia in 1939, Nitra became a part of the First Slovak Republic and once again a seat of Nitra county until 1945.
The period of the First Slovak Republic was tragic for the numerous Jewish population of Nitra, which was first victimized by the anti-Jewish law and then mostly exterminated in German concentration camps. The rest of Jews fled the city and country.
The city was liberated by the Soviet Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
in 1945, for only three years of restored democracy in Czechoslovakia.
The Communist period from 1948 to 1989 was marked by oppression of Catholic church, which has traditionally strong presence in Nitra. Catholic seminaries, monasteries and other properties were nationalized and converted to museums, schools and offices. This period experienced the extensive growth, building the housing projects and annexing of formerly independent villages. After the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
of 1989 and dissolution of Czechoslovakia
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on 1 January 1993, was an event that saw the self-determined separation of the federal state of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic and Slovakia, entities which had arisen in 1969 within the framework of Czechoslovak federalisation, became...
, Nitra became part of newly established Slovakia and became a seat of the Nitra Region
Nitra Region
The Nitra Region is one of the administrative regions of Slovakia.-Geography:This region with a long history is situated in the southwest of Slovakia, mostly in the eastern part of the Danubian Lowland. It is divided into two sub-units: the Danubian Flat in the south-west, with eastern part of the...
in 1996.
Geography
Nitra lies at an altitude of 190 metres (623 ft) above sea levelAbove 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 100.48 square kilometres (38.8 sq mi). It is located in the Nitra River
Nitra River
The Nitra is a 197 km long river in western Slovakia. It flows into the Váh river close to its confluence with the Danube in Komárno. Its source is in the Malá Fatra mountains north of Prievidza. The river Nitra passes through the towns of Bojnice, Topoľčany, Nitra and Nové Zámky....
valley in the Danubian Lowland
Danubian Lowland
The Danubian Lowland or Danube Lowland is the name of the part of Little Alföld situated in Slovakia, located between the Danube, the Little Carpathians and all other parts of the Western Carpathians....
, where the bigger part of the city is located. A smaller part is located at the southernmost reaches of the Tribeč
Tribec
Tribeč is a crystalline mountain range in western Slovakia, in the Inner Western Carpathians within the Fatra-Tatra Area, roughly between the towns of Nitra, Partizánske and Zlaté Moravce. It is surrounded by the Danubian Lowland, Pohronský Inovec, Vtáčnik mountains and the Upper Nitra Basin. It is...
mountains, more precisely at the foothill of the Zobor mountain (587 m). It is around half-way between Slovak 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...
, 92 kilometres (57 mi) away and central Slovak city of 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...
, 118 kilometres (73 mi) away. Other towns in the surroundings include Trnava
Trnava
Trnava is a city in western Slovakia, 47 km to the north-east of Bratislava, on the Trnávka river. It is the capital of a kraj and of an okres . It was the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric . The city has a historic center...
to the west (53 km), Topoľčany
Topolcany
Topoľčany .The name Topoľčany was assumed to be derived from topoľ, Slovak for poplar tree. Groves of these trees were once abundant on the banks of the Nitra River...
to the north (35 km), Levice
Levice
Levice is a town in western Slovakia. The town lies on the left bank of the lower Hron river. The Old Slavic name of the town was Leva, which means "the Left One"....
to the east (42 km), and Nové Zámky
Nové Zámky
Nové Zámky is a town in southwestern Slovakia.-Geography:The town is located on the Danubian Lowland, on the Nitra River, at an altitude of 119 metres. It is located around 100 km from Bratislava and around 25 km from the Hungarian border. It is a road and railway hub of southern...
(37 km) and Komárno
Komárno
Komárno is a town in Slovakia at the confluence of the Danube and the Váh rivers. Komárno was formed from part of a historical town in Hungary situated on both banks of the Danube. Following World War I, the border of the newly created Czechoslovakia cut the historical, unified town in half,...
(71 km) to the south. A national natural reservation called Zoborská lesostep is located within the city's boundaries.
Climate
Nitra lies in the north temperate zoneTemperate
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. The city is located in the warmest and driest part of Slovakia.
Demographics
Nitra has a population of 85,172 (as of December 31, 2005). According to the 2001 censusCensus
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...
, 95.4% 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...
, 1.7% Hungarians, 0.9% Czechs, and 0.4%
Roma. The religious make-up was 74.2% Roman Catholics, 17.2% people with no religious affiliation, and 2.8% Lutherans.
The demographics changed dramatically during the 20th century; in 1910, from total population of 16 419: 9754 were Hungarians, 4929 Slovaks and 1636 Germans - Jews are hidden under these nationalities, estimated one quarter of total population. In 1940, Nitra was home to 4358 Jews.
Economy
GDP per capitaGross domestic product
Gross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....
in 2008 for the whole Nitra region was €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
10,508, which was below Slovakia's average (€12,395).
Nitra's traditional enterprises used to be brewery, grain mill, food processing plants and other food-related industry. In the new free trade economy after 1989, and after entering European Union and Euro currency club only the wine bottling plant is left. Out of the factories started under the communist regime 1948-1989, the plastic processing plant is still doing well. However, the new business is booming. The most prevalent industries are electronics and car parts, concentrated in the new business park.
The city plans to have in 2011 a balanced budget of 42 mil. €.
The flight operator Aero Slovakia
Aero Slovakia
Aero Slovakia is an aviation company based in Slovakia offering a range of aviation services, including air taxi operations. The company has its head office on the grounds of Nitra Airport, Nitra...
has its head office on the grounds of Nitra Airport.
Main sights
The city has the wealth of historic structures and natural beauty in the surroundings. The most notorious points of interest are the Nitra castle, the old town and the hill Zobor, overlooking the city.Notable religious structures located in Nitra are St. Emmeram's Cathedral in Nitra castle, a Piarist
Piarists
The Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools or, in short, Piarists , is the name of the oldest Catholic educational order also known as the Scolopi, Escolapios or Poor Clerics of the Mother of God...
church of St. Ladislaus and the adjacent monastery.
The oldest church of the city is the Saint Stephen church, which was built in the 11th-12th century, while the fundamentum of the building was constructed in the 9th century.
The monastery on Piaristicka street was founded in the 13th-14th century. Its dominant church of St. Ladislaus was later destroyed by a fire and remodelled in 1742-1748 in baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style. Two towers were also added. The main altar has a beautiful statue ornamentation which the portraits of Saint Stephen and Ladislaus I of Hungary. The interior was renovated in 1940 and three modern fresco
Fresco
Fresco is any of several related mural painting types, executed on plaster on walls or ceilings. The word fresco comes from the Greek word affresca which derives from the Latin word for "fresh". Frescoes first developed in the ancient world and continued to be popular through the Renaissance...
s depicting themes from Slovak history of Nitra were created.
The old town (Staré Mesto) is dominated by the castle (Hrad), which is one of the most interesting ancient structures in Slovakia. Archeological findings in the past decades indicate that a large fortified castle had already stood here at the time of Samo
Samo
Samo was a Frankish merchant from the "Senonian country" , probably modern Soignies, Belgium or Sens, France. He was the first ruler of the Slavs whose name is known, and established one of the earliest Slav states, a supra-tribal union usually called Samo's empire, realm, kingdom, or tribal...
's Empire, in the seventh century. Recent archaeological findings prove the existence of a church from the ninth century beneath the more recent Gothic St. Emmeram's Cathedral. The construction of the stone castle began during the 9th century during the reign of the Prince of Nitra Svätopluk. The castle currently serves as the seat of one of Roman Catholic bishoprics in Slovakia, which was founded in 880 as the first bishopric of western and eastern Slavs, which continued its existence since the, with the break from the 10th century until around 1110.
The Dražovce church
Drážovce church
See Drážovce for the other Slovak village of this name.Dražovský kostolík is one of the oldest churches in Slovakia, dating from the 11th century, located at Dražovce . It is a typical early Romanesque architecture single nave building with thick enclosure walls and small roundish apse...
is a remarkable example of the early Romanesque architecture
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,...
.
The synagogue was built in 1908-1911 for the Neolog Jewish community. It was designed by Lipót (Leopold) Baumhorn (1860–1932), the prolific Budapest-based synagogue architect. Located in a narrow lane, the building is a characteristic example of Baumhorn's style. A mélange of Moorish, Byzantine and Art Nouveau elements, it faces the street with a two-tower façade. The sanctuary is a domed hall supported by four pillars that also support the women’s gallery. After more than a decade of painstaking restoration by the municipality of Nitra, the building is now used as a center for cultural activities. The women's gallery houses "The Fate of Slovak Jews" – Slovakia's national Holocaust memorial exhibition. The synagogue serves as a permanent exhibition space for graphic works by the Nitra-born Israeli artist Shraga Weil
Shraga Weil
-Biography:Weil was born in Nitra, Czechoslovakia in 1918 to a family of teachers, journalists and merchants. His father was a building engineer. He was sent to study with a local sculptor, and then to the Academy of Art in Prague. He produced his first graphic works during World War II, during...
.
The most powerful medium wave transmitter of Slovakia, running on 1098 kHz, was situated in Nitra at Velke Kostolany
Velke Kostolany transmitter
Velke Kostolany transmitter is the main transmission facility of Slovakian broadcasting company, situated north of Velke Kostolany near Nitra and also known as Nitra transmitter. It was inaugurated in 1949 and is used for mediumwave and shortwave broadcasting. For mediumwave broadcasting a 140...
until recently. This transmitter could broadcast throughout all of Europe at night. Since 2003, however, it has operated on lower output to save energy cost, and has transmitted regional programming only.
The Virgin Mary's mission house at the Calvary hill was built in 1765 for Spanish order of Nazarens. They were taking care of the church and pilgrims. Later, the building served as an orphanage. In 1878-85 this building was rebuilt in the Novoromanesque style and in 1925 one new floor was added to the building. The building as we know it today is a work of Slovak architect M. M. Harminec. Nowadays the whole building is mission house of The Divine Word Society. The Mission museum of nations and cultures is located in this building.
Government
The city is governed by mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and the city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
(Slovak: mestské zastupiteľstvo). The mayor is the head of the city and its chief executive. The term of office is four years. The current mayor, Jozef Dvonč, was re-elected in 2010. He is supported by the following political parties: Smer-SD, KDH
Christian Democratic Movement
The Christian Democratic Movement is a political party in Slovakia.It is represented in the parliament. It was also member of the government coalition, but it left that coalition on 7 February 2006 due to disputes over an international treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See dealing with the...
, SNS, SF
Free Forum
The Free Forum is a political party in Slovakia, founded in 2004 by dissident parliamentarians from the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union . Zuzana Martináková is the leader of the party....
and HZD
Movement for Democracy (Slovakia)
The Movement for Democracy is a political party in Slovakia split from the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia in 2002. The first leader of the party was Ivan Gašparovič, the current president of Slovakia...
. The city council is the legislative body, with 31 council members.
The city is divided into 13 urban districts (boroughs): Dolné Krškany, Horné Krškany, Staré Mesto, Čermáň, Klokočina, Diely, Párovské Háje, Kynek, Mlynárce, Zobor, Dražovce, Chrenová and Janíkovce.
Education
Nitra is the seat of two universities: University of Constantinus the Philosopher, with 13,684 students, including 446 doctoral students. and of the Slovak University of AgricultureSlovak University of Agriculture
Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra is a public university in Nitra, Slovakia. It offers Bachelor's, Engineer's and Doctoral degrees in six faculties:*Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources*Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences...
, with 10,297 students, including 430 doctoral students. The city's system of primary education consists of 14 public schools and three religious primary schools, enrolling in overall 6,945 pupils. Secondary education is represented by five gymnasia with 3,349 students, 8 specialized high schools with 3,641 students, and 5 vocational schools with 3,054 students.
Nitra used to be the site of the Jewish school Yeshiva of Nitra
Yeshiva of Nitra
The Yeshiva of Nitra is a private Rabbinical college, or yeshiva, located in Mount Kisco, New York. In fall 2005, it enrolled 211 students, including 21 graduate students....
, the last surviving yeshiva in occupied Europe during World War II, associated with famous rabbis Chaim Michael Dov Weissmandl
Chaim Michael Dov Weissmandl
Chaim Michael Dov Weissmandl was a rabbi and shtadlan...
and Shmuel Dovid Ungar
Shmuel Dovid Ungar
Rabbi Shmuel Dovid Ungar , also known as Rabbi Samuel David Ungar, was the rabbi of the Slovakian town of Nitra and dean of the last surviving yeshiva in occupied Europe during World War II...
. The yeshiva was moved to Mount Kisco, New York, USA, after the second world war, where it still exists.
Transport
Nitra is connected to Bratislava, Trnava, Žiar nad Hronom, Zvolen and Banská Bystrica by a freeway (E58). There are also first-class road connections to Topoľčany, Zlaté MoravceZlaté Moravce
Zlaté Moravce is a town in south-western Slovakia.-Basic data:It is the capital and the biggest town of Zlaté Moravce District. It is approximately 120 km from the Slovak capital Bratislava and 32 km from Nitra.-History:...
(labelled as "Highway of Death"), Vráble
Vráble
Vráble is a small town in the Nitra District, Nitra Region, western Slovakia.-Geography:It is located in the Danubian Hills on the Žitava river, about 20 km south-east-east from Nitra. The cadastral area of the town has an altitude from 140 to 240 m ASL...
and Nové Zámky.
Nitra railway station forms part of the railway line between Nové Zámky
Nové Zámky
Nové Zámky is a town in southwestern Slovakia.-Geography:The town is located on the Danubian Lowland, on the Nitra River, at an altitude of 119 metres. It is located around 100 km from Bratislava and around 25 km from the Hungarian border. It is a road and railway hub of southern...
/Šurany
Šurany
Šurany is a town and a railroad hub in the Nové Zámky District, Nitra Region, southern Slovakia.Alongside the main settlement, it has the boroughs of Kostolný Sek and Nitriansky Hrádok, both annexed 1976....
and Prievidza
Prievidza
Prievidza is a city in the central-western Slovakia. With 51,200 inhabitants it is one of the biggest municipalities in the Trenčín Region.-Features:...
, which passes through Nitra, but is not a main line. There is a railway junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
a short distance north of the town, connecting the city with Leopoldov
Leopoldov
Leopoldov is a town in the Trnava Region of Slovakia, near the Váh river. It has a population of 4,083. The city is the location of Leopoldov Prison a high-security correctional institution.-History:...
, Topoľčany
Topolcany
Topoľčany .The name Topoľčany was assumed to be derived from topoľ, Slovak for poplar tree. Groves of these trees were once abundant on the banks of the Nitra River...
and Radošina
Radošina
Radošina is a municipality with 1,987 inhabitants in the Topoľčany District of the Nitra Region, Slovakia....
.
Nitra also has its own recreational airfield. However, the closest international airport is the Bratislava Airport.
Local public transport is based on buses with 30 lines, covering the whole city, as well as extending to the neighbouring municipalities of Lužianky
Lužianky
Lužianky is a village and municipality in the Nitra District in western central Slovakia, in the Nitra Region.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 144 metres and covers an area of 12.426 km²...
, Nitrianske Hrnčiarovce
Nitrianske Hrnciarovce
Nitrianske Hrnčiarovce is a village and municipality in the Nitra District in western central Slovakia, in the Nitra Region.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 215 metres and covers an area of 9.946km²...
, Štitáre
Štitáre
Štitáre is a village and municipality in the Nitra District in western central Slovakia, in the Nitra Region.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of about 240 metres and covers an area of 7.494km². It has a population of about 600 people. It lies 7km north-east to the historic city of Nitra...
, Ivanka pri Nitre
Ivanka pri Nitre
Ivanka pri Nitre is a village and municipality in the Nitra District in western central Slovakia, in the Nitra Region.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 146 metres and covers an area of 14.909 km²...
and Branč
Branc
Branč is a village and municipality in the Nitra District in western centralSlovakia, in the Nitra Region.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 137 metres and covers an area of 13.808 km²...
(as of March 2008).
There was a chairlift leading to Zobor hill, however, it has been closed since 1994.
Arts
There are two theaters in Nitra: Divadlo Andreja Bagara (Andrej Bagar Theatre) and Staré Divadlo Karola Spišáka (Karol Spišák Old Theatre).Nitra's main arts museum is Nitrianska Galéria.
Famous people
- Svatopluk ISvatopluk ISvatopluk I or Zwentibald I was the greatest ruler of Moravia that attained its maximum territorial expansion in his reign . His career had already started in the 860s, when he governed a principality, the location of which is still a matter of debate among historians, within Moravia under the...
(830-894), Prince of Nitra, King of Great MoraviaGreat MoraviaGreat Moravia was a Slavic state that existed in Central Europe and lasted for nearly seventy years in the 9th century whose creators were the ancestors of the Czechs and Slovaks. It was a vassal state of the Germanic Frankish kingdom and paid an annual tribute to it. There is some controversy as... - PribinaPribinaPribina was a Slavic prince whose adventurous career, recorded in the Conversion of the Bavarians and the Carantanians , illustrates the political volatility of the Franco–Slavic frontiers of his time...
(?-861), Prince of the NitraPrincipality of NitraThe Principality of Nitra also Nitrian Principality or Slovak Principality is the name for a polity of Nitra Sloviens, centered on large agglomeration, a multi-tribal centre around Nitra, Slovakia. The initially independent Principality of Nitra came into existence in the early 9th century...
and Balaton principalities - Svatopluk IISvatopluk IISvatopluk II ruled the Principality of Nitra from 894 to 906 and strove to control all of Great Moravia.Svatopluk II was a younger son of Svatopluk I. As Prince of Nitra, Svatopluk II was subordinated to his older brother Mojmír II, the King of Great Moravia which contained the principality as its...
(?-906), Prince of Nitra - KoceľKocelKoceľ was the second Lord of Principality of Lower Pannonia centered in Blatnograd / Blatnohrad .-Early life:...
(c.833-c.876), Prince of the Balaton PrincipalityBalaton PrincipalityThe Principality of Lower Pannonia was a Slavic principality located in the western part of the Pannonian plain, between the rivers Danube to its east The Principality of Lower Pannonia (also called Pannonia, Lower Pannonia, Pannonian Principality, Transdanubian Principality, Slavic Pannonian... - Saint BystríkSaint BystríkSaint Bystrík was a martyr and the bishop of the diocese of Nitra of probably Slavic or Hungarian origin.-Bystrík's bishopric:Bystrík lived at the times when the first King of...
(?-1046), Bishop of Nitra - Béla I of Hungary (1016–1063), Duke of Nitra, King of HungaryKingdom of HungaryThe 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...
- János BottyánJános BottyánJános Bottyán , also known as Blind Bottyán, Vak Bottyán János was a Hungarian kuruc general....
(1643–1709), Hungarian kurucKurucThe kuruc was a term used to denote the armed anti-Habsburg rebels in Royal Hungary between 1671 and 1711....
general - Tamás Esze (1666–1708) Hungarian kurucKurucThe kuruc was a term used to denote the armed anti-Habsburg rebels in Royal Hungary between 1671 and 1711....
leader died here in 1708 - Imre Erdősi (1814–1890), Hungarian piaristPiaristsThe Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools or, in short, Piarists , is the name of the oldest Catholic educational order also known as the Scolopi, Escolapios or Poor Clerics of the Mother of God...
monk and teacher - Vilmos FraknóiVilmos FraknóiVilmos Fraknói was a Hungarian historian. He was an expert in Hungarian ecclesiastical history.- Life :...
(1843–1924), Hungarian historian - Béla Bangha (1880–1940), Hungarian politician was born here
- Oszkar Grosz (1896–1968), Shipowner in England
- Juraj KolníkJuraj KolnikJuraj Kolník is a Slovak professional ice hockey player, currently a free agent. He has played in the National Hockey League for the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers and also played with the Slovak national ice hockey team in the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.-Career...
(1980-),professional ice hockey player - Anton LehmdenAnton LehmdenAnton Lehmden is an Austrian painter, draughtsman, and printmaker.Lehmden was a co-founder, together with Ernst Fuchs, Rudolf Hausner, Arik Brauer and Wolfgang Hutter, of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism...
(1929-), painter, draughtsman, and printmaker - Branislav MezeiBranislav MezeiBranislav Mezei is a Slovak ice hockey defenceman currently with Lev Poprad of the Kontinental Hockey League.-International career:...
(1980-),professional ice hockey player - Ľubomír MoravčíkLubomír MoravcíkĽubomír "Lubo" Moravčík is a football manager and former footballer from Slovakia, who played internationally for Czechoslovakia and Slovakia...
(1965-), football player - Zita PleštinskáZita PleštinskáZita Pleštinská is a Slovak politician andMember of the European Parliamentwith the Slovenská demokratická a kresťanská únia,part of the European People's Party and sits on...
, maiden name Kányaiová (1961-), member of the European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentThe European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world... - Ottokár ProhászkaOttokár Prohászka----Ottokár Prohászka - April 2, 1927, Budapest) was a Hungarian Roman Catholic theologian and Bishop of Székesfehérvár from 1905 until his death.- External links :* * * * *...
(1858–1927), Hungarian Roman Catholic theologian and BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of SzékesfehérvárSzékesfehérvárSzékesfehérvár is a city in central Hungary and is the 9th largest in the country. Located around southwest of Budapest. It is inhabited by 101,973 people , with 136,995 in the Székesfehérvár Subregion. The city is the centre of Fejér county and the regional centre of Central Transdanubia... - Shmuel Dovid UngarShmuel Dovid UngarRabbi Shmuel Dovid Ungar , also known as Rabbi Samuel David Ungar, was the rabbi of the Slovakian town of Nitra and dean of the last surviving yeshiva in occupied Europe during World War II...
(1886–1945) the rabbi of Nitra and dean of the Nitra Yeshiva - Chaim Michael Dov WeissmandlChaim Michael Dov WeissmandlChaim Michael Dov Weissmandl was a rabbi and shtadlan...
(1903–1957) a rabbi who became known for his efforts to save the Jews of Slovakia during the HolocaustThe HolocaustThe Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi... - Pavol HrušovskýPavol HrušovskýPavol Hrušovský was the Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic from 15 October 2002 to 7 February 2006 and party leader of the Christian Democratic Movement....
(1952-) Deputy Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak RepublicNational Council of the Slovak RepublicThe 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.... - Štefan RužičkaŠtefan RužickaŠtefan Ružička is a Slovak professional ice hockey player. He plays right wing for the HC Spartak Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
(1985-), professional ice hockey player - Miroslav StochMiroslav StochMiroslav Stoch is a Slovak international footballer who currently plays as an Winger for the Turkish football club Fenerbahçe in the Süper Lig.-Early life and career:...
(1989-), professional football (soccer player), currently signed with Fenerbahce S.K. - Jozef StümpelJozef StümpelJozef Stümpel is a Slovak professional ice hockey centre currently playing for HC Spartak Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...
(1972-), professional ice hockey player - Boris ValabikBoris ValabikBoris Valábik is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.-Playing career:Valabik was drafted 10th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers...
(1986-), professional ice hockey player - Sn4rk (199x-), professional gamer
Music
Nitra is the home town of three popular slovak music bands GladiátorGladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
, Horkýže Slíže
Horkýže Slíže
Horkýže Slíže is a Slovak punk rock band formed in 1992 in Nitra.Horkýže Slíže produces parodies of other styles of music, such as 'R'n'B Soul' which is a very clear take-off of contemporary R&B styles.-Members:...
and Desmod
Desmod
Desmod is a Slovak rock band from Nitra and was founded in 1996. The former lineup is completely different from the current one and they have played genres including soft rock and pop rock...
.
Twin Towns - Sister Cities
Nitra is twinnedTown 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:
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Kielce Kielce Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship... in 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... Kroměříž Kromeríž Kroměříž is a town in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. The town's main landmark is the Baroque Kroměříž Bishop's Palace, where some scenes from Amadeus and Immortal Beloved were filmed... in 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.... Naperville Naperville, Illinois Naperville is a city in DuPage and Will Counties in Illinois in the United States, voted the second best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine in 2006. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 141,853. It is the fifth largest city in the state, behind Chicago,... in United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... Osijek Osijek Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county... in Croatia Croatia Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ... |
Spišská Nová Ves in 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... Zielona Góra Zielona Góra Zielona Góra is a city in Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland, with 117,557 inhabitants within the city limits and 294,000 inhabitants within the metropolitan area, including three neighbouring counties .... in 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 1992) Zoetermeer Zoetermeer Zoetermeer is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 37.06 km² . A small village until the late 1960s, it had 6,392 inhabitants in 1950... in 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... |