Rožnava
Encyclopedia
Rožňava is a town in Slovakia
, approximately 71 km by road from Košice
in the Košice Region
, and has a population of 19,120.
The town is an economic and tourist center of the Gemer
. Rožňava is now a popular tourist attraction with a beautiful historic town centre. The town is an episcopal seat. It has above all food, textile and remnants of mining industries.
In the Middle Ages, Rožňava was a prosperous mining town for gold
, silver
, and iron
. Mining activities stagnated from the 16th century (when territories to the south of the town were conquered by Ottoman Turks
). Mining - this time mainly of iron ore - was renewed around 1800 and was present in the town throughout the 20th century.
The name of the town probably derives from the German and/or Hungarian word for rose (Rose and Rózsa).
On 13 September 2003, Rožňava was visited by Pope John Paul II.
, the town had 19,261 inhabitants. 69.27% of inhabitants were Slovaks
, 26.80% Hungarians, 1.59% Roma and 0.69% Czechs
. The religious make-up was 41.08% Roman Catholics, 32.34% people with no religious affiliation, 12.03% Lutherans and 1.33% Greek Catholics
.
with: Bačka Topola
Cieszyn
Český Těšín
Glarus
Szerencs
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...
, approximately 71 km by road from Košice
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
in the Košice Region
Košice Region
The Košice Region is one of the eight Slovak administrative regions. It consists of 11 districts .-Geography:It is located in the southern part of eastern Slovakia and covers an area of 6,752 km²...
, and has a population of 19,120.
The town is an economic and tourist center of the Gemer
Gemer
Gemer is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. In the 19th century, and in the beginning of the 20th century, it was united with the Kishont region to form Gömör-Kishont county . Its territory is presently in southern Slovakia and northern Hungary...
. Rožňava is now a popular tourist attraction with a beautiful historic town centre. The town is an episcopal seat. It has above all food, textile and remnants of mining industries.
History
Archaeological finds show that the region was densely settled by miners as early as around 1200. The first written mention stems from 1291, the royal free town status from 1410. The Roman Catholic diocese of Rožňava was founded in 1776.In the Middle Ages, Rožňava was a prosperous mining town for gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, and iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
. Mining activities stagnated from the 16th century (when territories to the south of the town were conquered by Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
). Mining - this time mainly of iron ore - was renewed around 1800 and was present in the town throughout the 20th century.
The name of the town probably derives from the German and/or Hungarian word for rose (Rose and Rózsa).
On 13 September 2003, Rožňava was visited by Pope John Paul II.
Noteworthy buildings
- an important MiningMiningMining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
Museum - a completely preserved medieval central town square with burgher houses
- the Cathedral (Gothic, late 13th century) with many precious historic art objects, especially a Renaissance painting of Mestercia showing realistic mining motifs
- the Town Tower (Renaissance, 1654) in the middle of the central town square
- the Jesuit church (Baroque, 1687)
- the Bishop's residence (Baroque-Classical, arose 1778 from older houses) with a plague column in front of the building
- a town hall (Classical, 1711)
- an Evangelic Lutheran church (Classical, 1786)
- a Reformed church (neo-Gothic, 1905)
Demographics
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...
, the town had 19,261 inhabitants. 69.27% 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...
, 26.80% Hungarians, 1.59% Roma and 0.69% 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 make-up was 41.08% Roman Catholics, 32.34% people with no religious affiliation, 12.03% Lutherans and 1.33% Greek Catholics
Greek Catholic Church
The Greek Catholic Church consists of the Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine liturgical tradition and are thus in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, the Pope.-List of Greek Catholic Churches:...
.
Parts of the town
- Nadabula
- Rožňava (proper)
- Rožňavská Baňa (Rožňava Mine)
- Krásnohorská jaskyňa (Krásnohorská CaveKrásnohorská CaveKrásnohorská Cave is a karst cave situated at the northern foot of the Silická planina Plain, in the Slovak Karst, 6.5 km southeast of Rožňava, in Slovakia...
)
Twin towns — Sister cities
Rožňava 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: Bačka Topola
Backa Topola
Bačka Topola is a town and municipality in the North Bačka District of Vojvodina, Serbia...
Cieszyn
Cieszyn
Cieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
Český Těšín
Ceský Tešín
Český Těšín is a town in the Karviná District, Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. The town is commonly known in the region as just Těšín . It lies on the west bank of the Olza River, in the heart of the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia...
Glarus
Glarus
Glarus is the capital of the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland. Glarus municipality since 1 January 2011 incorporates the former municipalities of Ennenda, Netstal and Riedern....
Szerencs
Szerencs
Szerencs is a town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, Northern Hungary. It lies away from Miskolc.-History:Szerencs was first mentioned in the Middle Ages. In the 15th century it was already a town, its owners were the Rákóczi family...
External links
- Rožňava
- Information on Rožňava and the Gemer region
- Information on tourist sights (with photo of the main square)
- Medial information site about life in Rožňava (In slovak language)
- Official site (SlovakSlovak languageSlovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
only)