Nitra self-governing region

General information about the region

Location

The Nitra self-governing region with an area of 6343 km² is located in the south-west of Slovakia. The predominantly flat landscape, interrupted by hills and rivers, is one of the warmest and most fertile areas of Slovakia with high agricultural importance, it has rich reserves of underground water and thermal springs. The northern part of the region is bordered by the mountains Tríbeč, Štiavnické vrchy, Pohronský Inovec, the central and southern part is occupied by the Danube Plain with Europe's largest river island - Rye Island (protected water management area - river sediments hide, according to estimates, up to 10 billion m³ of high-quality groundwater).

History

The first traces of settlement come from the Neolithic period - the remains of settlements of the Lengyel culture in the lowlands (Svodín, Nitriansky Hrádok). Celtic settlement during the younger Iron Age (4th–1st centuries BC) covered the territory along the Danube and on the lower reaches of the rivers Ipeľ, Hron, Žitava and Nitra. Later, the Romans penetrated the territory, who marked the borders of their territory (Limes Romanus) near the Danube.

At the beginning of the 9th century, the supra-tribal unit of the Principality of Nitra (Pribino) was established with its center in Nitra - during the reign of the pagan prince Pribin in 830, the first Christian church in Central and Eastern Europe was consecrated here. Archaeological research at the castle of Valy pri Bojná confirms the presence of a battle group, the castle was probably an important center of the Principality of Nitra (unique monuments from the dawn of Slovak national history and their Christianization were found here - finds of bells and gilded plaques, remains of buildings and workshops). The Great Moravian Empire was created by the forcible annexation of the Principality of Nitra to the Principality of Moravia - the first historical state entity on our territory.

The arrival of two monks - Cyril and Methodius from Thessaloniki in 863 started a cultural and religious revolution. The goal of their mission was the expansion of the Christian faith in Great Moravia, their names are also associated with the creation of the Glagolitic alphabet (the first script of the Slavs, from which Cyrillic and the Cyrillic alphabet later developed), during this period the oldest monastery and the first bishopric in Slovakia were founded.

With the fall of the Great Moravian Empire, the territory was annexed to Hungary for the next millennium (1001–1918), and the city of Nitra maintained an important position on the border. In 1248, it received the status of a free royal city, which contributed to the development of the region. The most important medieval settlements were Komárno (a commercial and cultural center, the base of the royal fleet on the Danube), Starý Tekov and Levice (the center of Tekovská county), Štúrovo, Šahy, the market places of Komjatice, Vráble, Dvory nad Žitavou, Nesvady, Turovské Sokolce.

The greatest economic development started in the 18th century, the construction boom was accompanied by the establishment of important economic and cultural institutions. Currently, the territory of the Nitra self-governing region is one of the important agricultural, economic and cultural regions of Slovakia with unusual historical monuments and excellent conditions for the development of tourism.

Historical, cultural and sacral monuments

Kelemantia (Iža) – exhibition of the remains of a Roman stone castle built in the 2nd century AD

The historic center of Nitra - Nitra Castle - a complex from the 11th century consists of a fortress system, the Bishop's Palace (the seat of the bishop's office), farm buildings, the Cathedral of St. Emeráma, Vazula's tower and casemates. Apart from the outdoor areas, the cathedral and the Diocesan Museum, the complex is not yet accessible to the public.

The Romanesque Church of St. Stephen from the 12th century, the baroque Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on Calvary, the Church of St. Michal na Vŕška (from 1739), neo-Romanesque complex - Monastery and Church of the Sisters of Mercy of St. Vincent Pavlánský, the baroque sculpture Marian Plague Column from the 18th century, the County House with an Art Nouveau reconstruction, the Kluch Palace with the Atlanta statue (popularly called Corgoň – according to legend, the figure of a strong blacksmith who expelled the Turks from the city, today fulfills the whispered secret wishes of visitors), baroque the monastery, the Neo-Renaissance building of the Ponitra Museum, the synagogue built in 1910-11 in the Moorish-Byzantine style.

Fortress system and historical center Komárno – the largest fortress system in Central Europe built from the 16th to the 19th century and the historic center of the city, which consists of the buildings of the neo-Renaissance Town Hall (1875), the square with the statue of General Klapko (1896), the neo-Gothic Officers' Pavilion (1863) , the statue of the Holy Trinity (1715), the Baroque Church of St. Ondrej (1738), Zichy Palace from the 17th century, classicist Church of St. Rosalie from the 19th century, Orthodox church (1754), synagogue building (1896), Danube Museum building. Several historical buildings were rebuilt after the devastating earthquake that hit the city in 1763.

Levick Castle from the 13th century with annexes (Dobó's mansion, Captain's house) is today the headquarters of the Tekovský Museum.

Ruins - Gýmeš Castle (Jelenec) - ruins of a castle from the 13th century on the southern slope of the Tribeč Mountains, Topoľčiansky hrad (Podhradie) - ruins of a Gothic castle from the 13th century, an exhibition in the castle tower is currently open, Oponice Castle - remains of a Gothic castle from 13th century, the opening of the "Tereš" tower with a castle exhibition is being prepared, Hrušovský hrad (Hostie) - the remains of a Gothic castle from the 13th century, today provides space for organizing medieval festivities.

Mansions with an accommodation function - well-preserved castles and mansions that today serve as luxury hotels. Mojmírovce Manor – baroque-classical building from the 18th century in the middle of a protected forest park with rare foreign trees, Chateau Béla (Belá) – a romantic baroque manor with period furnishings from 1732, Poľovnícky kašteľ (Palárikovo) from the 18th century, located near the well-known pheasant , Park Hotel Tartuf (Beladice – Pustý Chotár) – a baroque mansion from the beginning of the 19th century rebuilt in the neoclassical style, in the area of the hotel park there is a unique, freely accessible Nature Gallery of artistic ceramics,

Topoľčianky Castle – a national cultural monument, in the years 1923–1951 it served as the summer residence of the presidents of Czechoslovakia, currently it functions as a hotel and a museum of weapons and period furniture with a historical library (the famous National Stud is also located not far from the mansion).

Sacral monuments – Church of St. George (Kostoľany pod Tríbečom) – the oldest preserved Roman Catholic church in Slovakia (11th century), boasts preserved Romanesque frescoes. The oldest sacred monuments of the region include the Romanesque Church of St. Michael the Archangel (Drážovce), the pre-Romanesque rotunda in Nitrianská Blatnica, the Romanesque church in Kalinčiakov, Romanesque buildings in Bín and the basilica in Diakovce.

Technical monuments

Watermill and wooden bridge in Kolárovo in a beautiful natural environment by the river Váh, crossed by the longest wooden river bridge in Europe with a length of 86 m. The area also houses an exhibition of folk culture and an information system of the floodplain forest ecosystem.

Water mill in Bohunice - a mill estate by the Sikenička stream with an exhibition of folk culture.

Steam pumping station (Virt) - dates from 1897, located between the villages of Virt and Patince.

Hurbanovská observatory – the oldest observatory in Central Europe (founded in 1871)

Folk architecture

Rock dwellings (Brhlovce) - a monument reserve of folk architecture consists of dwellings carved into volcanic tuff in the 16th and 17th centuries. century during the Turkish invasions.

Another example of exposure of folk culture and architecture can be found in the village of Martovce.

Modern architecture

Ndvorie Europa (Komárno) – a unique project of an architectural complex, a new core in the center of the city, which consists of buildings of the original, typical architecture of 45 European countries and regions.