Martin (; sk, Turčiansky Svätý Martin until 1950, hu, Turócszentmárton,
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
: ''Turz-Sankt Martin'',
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
: ''Sanctus Martinus / Martinopolis'') is a city in northern
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...
Žilina
Žilina (; hu, Zsolna, ; german: Sillein, or ; pl, Żylina , names in other languages) is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of S ...
. The population numbers approximately 54,000, which makes it the ninth-largest city in Slovakia. It is the center of the Turiec region and the District of Martin.
History
From the second half of the 10th century until 1918, it was part of the
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from the Middle Ages into the 20th century. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coronation of the Hungarian monarch, c ...
. The first recorded reference to Martin in written sources is dated to 1284 under the name of ''Vila Sancti Martini''.
In the turbulent 15th century, Martin suffered from many disasters, for example from the attack of the Hussites in 1433, when the town was burned down. Just ten years later, it was destroyed again by an earthquake and Martin started to be slowly degraded from royal to the privileged town and under direct influence of the
Révay family
The Révay family was a Hungarian noble family, who owned estates in Turóc county, the Kingdom of Hungary (Turiec region in today's Slovakia) until the early 20th century. Their property included i.a. the Rococo-classical manor house in Mošovce, ...
.
Since the 18th century, Martin became centre of the
Turóc county
Turóc ( Hungarian, historically also spelled ''Túrócz''), , /''comitatus Thurociensis'', ) was an administrative county (comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is now in north-western Slovakia, where the corresponding Slovak name ...
.
The town became the foremost Slovak cultural center in the 19th century. Several cultural institutions (including
Slovak Matica
Slovak may refer to:
* Something from, related to, or belonging to Slovakia (''Slovenská republika'')
* Slovaks
The Slovaks ( sk, Slováci, singular: ''Slovák'', feminine: ''Slovenka'', plural: ''Slovenky'') are a West Slavic ethnic group ...
and Slovak National Museum) were founded there. Most political activities leading to the Slovak national emancipation in the 19th and early 20th centuries were organized in or from Martin. The town was also industrialized at this time. The first printing works were established in 1869, the furniture factory ''Tatra nábytok'' in 1890, and so on.
The town lost some of its importance after Pressburg (today's
Bratislava
Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approximately 140% of ...
) became the capital of Slovakia in 1919. Today, it is the seat of the Slovak National Library and
Slovak Matica
Slovak may refer to:
* Something from, related to, or belonging to Slovakia (''Slovenská republika'')
* Slovaks
The Slovaks ( sk, Slováci, singular: ''Slovák'', feminine: ''Slovenka'', plural: ''Slovenky'') are a West Slavic ethnic group ...
above sea level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance ( height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as '' orthometric heights''.
Th ...
and covers an area of . It is located in northern Slovakia, in the Turiec Basin, just south of the confluence of the Turiec river with
Váh
The Váh (; german: Waag, ; hu, Vág; pl, WagWag w Słowniku geograficznym Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów ...
Kremnica Mountains
The Kremnica Mountains ( sk, Kremnické vrchy, hu, Körmöci-hegység, german: Kremnitzer Berge) are a volcanic mountain range in central Slovakia. They are part of the Western Carpathians and the Slovenské stredohorie Mts.
The mountain rang ...
. The nearest major cities are
Žilina
Žilina (; hu, Zsolna, ; german: Sillein, or ; pl, Żylina , names in other languages) is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of S ...
, away to the north-west,
Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica (, also known by other alternative names) is a middle-sized town 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 ...
, away to the south-east and capital
Bratislava
Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approximately 140% of ...
, to the south-west (by road).
Martin has 10 boroughs: ''Jahodníky'', ''Ľadoveň'', ''Stred'', ''Sever'', ''Košúty'', ''Podháj'', ''Stráne'', ''Priekopa'', ''Tomčany'' and ''Záturčie''.
continental climate
Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing so ...
with four distinct seasons. It is characterized by a significant variation between hot summers and cold, snowy winters. Average annual temperature is around and average annual rainfall is ; most of the rainfall is in June and in the first half of July. Snow cover lasts from 60 to 80 days per year.
Demographics
Martin has a population of 55,000 (as of December 31, 2016). Since end of 1990s when the population reached the top (more than 60,000) every year a slight decrease has been observed. According to the 2001
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
, 94.9% of inhabitants were
Slovaks
The Slovaks ( sk, Slováci, singular: ''Slovák'', feminine: ''Slovenka'', plural: ''Slovenky'') are a West Slavic ethnic group and nation native to Slovakia who share a common ancestry, culture, history and speak Slovak.
In Slovakia, 4.4 mi ...
, 1.6%
Czechs
The Czechs ( cs, Češi, ; singular Czech, masculine: ''Čech'' , singular feminine: ''Češka'' ), or the Czech people (), are a West Slavic ethnic group and a nation native to the Czech Republic in Central Europe, who share a common ancestry, ...
, 0.5%
Romani
Romani may refer to:
Ethnicities
* Romani people, an ethnic group of Northern Indian origin, living dispersed in Europe, the Americas and Asia
** Romani genocide, under Nazi rule
* Romani language, any of several Indo-Aryan languages of the Roma ...
, and 0.2%
Hungarians
Hungarians, also known as Magyars ( ; hu, magyarok ), are a nation and ethnic group native to Hungary () and historical Hungarian lands who share a common culture, history, ancestry, and language. The Hungarian language belongs to the ...
. The religious makeup was 44.1%
Roman Catholics
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, 31.2% people with no religious affiliation, and 17.2%
Lutherans
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched ...
.
According to the 2011
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
, 81.7% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 1.0% Czechs, 0.09% Roma, and 0.2% Hungarians and 16.2% did not specify nationality. The religious makeup was 34.3% Roman Catholics, 28.3% people with no religious affiliation, 21.1% did not specify religion and 13.2% Lutherans.
Sights
The oldest building is a Romanesque church dedicated to
Saint Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours ( la, Sanctus Martinus Turonensis; 316/336 – 8 November 397), also known as Martin the Merciful, was the third bishop of Tours. He has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints in France, heralded as the ...
(13th century). The Slovak National Museum placed its ethnographic collection in Martin. An open-air museum in the suburbs, the
Museum of the Slovak Village
The large open-air Museum of the Slovak Village (in Slovak language, Slovak: ''Múzeum slovenskej dediny'') is situated on the outskirts of the northern city of Martin, Slovakia, Martin in Slovakia.
History
The first idea of the open-air museu ...
(''Jahodnícke háje''), exhibits the traditional rural architecture and folk traditions of the region of Turiec. The Slovak National Cemetery is the official Slovak hall of fame, inspired by the Panthéon in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
.
The Slovak Chamber Theatre in Martin was established in 1944 as the second professional theatre company in Slovakia. The theatre building is a landmark of the city center.
Martin is surrounded by Malá Fatra and Veľká Fatra mountains, which in winter offer excellent conditions for skiing.
There is a historic
mansion
A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word '' manse'' originally defined a property l ...
in the town of Záturčie in Martin district.
Economy
Martin is home to a
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen AG (), known internationally as the Volkswagen Group, is a German multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The company designs, manufactures and distributes passenger and commercia ...
-owned
automotive industry
The automotive industry comprises a wide range of companies and organizations involved in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of motor vehicles. It is one of the world's largest industries by revenue (from 16 % ...
production
plant
Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae excl ...
, under the Volkswagen Slovakia, a.s. subsidiary. Opened in 2000, it employs approximately 800 people. The city was hit hard in 2008 by the
recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction when there is a general decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be triggered by various ...
, as Volkswagen was forced to lay off over 200 workers. Other major industrial companies include ŽOS Vrútky (rail vehicles industry) or Prefa Sučany (concrete prefabricates).
The Danish shoe company
ECCO
Ecco or ECCO may refer to:
Art and entertainment
* ''Ecco the Dolphin'' (series), a series of action-adventure science fiction video games
** ''Ecco the Dolphin'', a 1992 video game
* Ecco (''Gotham''), a TV series character
Organizations
...
is located near the Kosuty II borough in an industrial park. This park also hosts other companies such as MAR SK, GGB or Zinkpower.
The university hospital employs approximately two thousand persons: doctors, nurses and other staff. The printing company Neografia has clients in more than 15 European countries, where Neografia exports the decisive part of its production of books. Due to the economic crisis the unemployment rate rose to 10%, but was still below the national average rate. In March 2018, the unemployment rate was under 4%. Many inhabitants work in nearby town
Žilina
Žilina (; hu, Zsolna, ; german: Sillein, or ; pl, Żylina , names in other languages) is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of S ...
, that is an important industrial center and major city of region.
Education
Martin is home to the
Jessenius Faculty of Medicine
The Jessenius Faculty of Medicine or Jessenius School of Medicine ( sk, Jesseniova lekárska fakulta) is a co-educational medical school in Martin, Slovakia. It is the academic medical teaching and research arm of Comenius University. It is one ...
, which is one of three medical schools in Slovakia. Among its international students are up to 500 Norwegian and 100 Icelandic medical students.
The city's system of primary education consists of nine public schools, two private primary schools (
BellAmos School
EduKey (BellAmos) School is a private, co-educational day school for grades K-9 located in Martin, Slovakia. EduKey (BellAmos) is a member of the Slovak National Association of Independent Schools, educating students from all across the Žilina ...
), and two religious primary schools, enrolling in total 5,027 pupils. There is a plan to build a five-story high school near the main square. When completed, it will be the largest educational building in Slovakia apart from universities. The school will be named after
Andrej Hlinka
Andrej Hlinka (born András Hlinka; 27 September 1864 – 16 August 1938) was a Slovak Catholic priest, journalist, banker, politician, and one of the most important Slovakian public activists in Czechoslovakia before the Second World War. He ...
, a former Slovak politician.
Secondary education is represented by two gymnasia with 828 students, three specialized high schools with 1,050 students ( Business Academy Martin), and three vocational schools with 2,501 students (data ).
Sport
The division, the Handball 1st league.
Transport
Martin lies on the crossroad that interconnect the main road (as well main railway) from
Bratislava
Bratislava (, also ; ; german: Preßburg/Pressburg ; hu, Pozsony) is the capital and largest city of Slovakia. Officially, the population of the city is about 475,000; however, it is estimated to be more than 660,000 — approximately 140% of ...
to
Košice
Košice ( , ; german: Kaschau ; hu, Kassa ; pl, Коszyce) is the largest 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. With a population of a ...
with
Banská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica (, also known by other alternative names) is a middle-sized town 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 ...
. It is connected directly to
Žilina
Žilina (; hu, Zsolna, ; german: Sillein, or ; pl, Żylina , names in other languages) is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of S ...
Ružomberok
Ružomberok (; german: Rosenberg; hu, Rózsahegy; pl, Rużomberk) is a town in northern Slovakia, in the historical Liptov region. It has a population of around 27,000 inhabitants (45,000 with nearby villages).
Etymology
The name of the initia ...
.
Public transport is not only in Martin itself, but it also extends to the surrounding town of Vrútky and to three villages ( Bystrička, Lipovec, Turčianske Kľačany).
Martin is also served by Martin Airport, a small,
general aviation
General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
airport used for
gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word ''soaring'' is a ...
Gotha
Gotha () is the fifth-largest city in Thuringia, Germany, west of Erfurt and east of Eisenach with a population of 44,000. The city is the capital of the Gotha (district), district of Gotha and was also a residence of the Ernestine House of Wet ...
, Germany
*
Hoogeveen
Hoogeveen (; nds-nl, 't Ogeveine or '' 't Oveine'') is a municipality and a town in the Dutch province of Drenthe.
Population centres
Elim, Fluitenberg, Hoogeveen and Noordscheschut, which still have the canals which used to be throughout ...
Kalisz
(The oldest city of Poland)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = ''Top:'' Town Hall, Former "Calisia" Piano Factory''Middle:'' Courthouse, "Gołębnik" tenement''Bottom:'' Aerial view of the Kalisz Old Town
, image_flag = POL Kalisz flag.svg ...
Martin Benka
Martin Benka (21 September 1888, in Kostolište – 28 June 1971, in Malacky) was a Slovak painter and illustrator. He is regarded as the founder of Modernist 20th century Slovak painting. He was given the title ''National Artist.'' He is buri ...
, painter
*
Barbora Bobuľová
Barbora Bobuľová (born 29 April 1974) is an Italian actress. Since 1995, she has lived and worked mainly in Italy.
Life and work
Born in Martin, Bobuľová trained at the National Drama Academy in Bratislava before moving to Italy in 1995. S ...
, actress
* Tomáš Brcko, hockey player
* Zdeno Cíger, ice hockey player, 3× bronze medal at the WCH 1989, 1990, 2003
* Oto Haščák, ice hockey player, 2× bronze medal at the WCH 1989, 1990. 1× Czech Extraliga Champion
* Stanislav Jančárik, or Estanislao Jancarik (in Spanish), architect who designed many buildings in
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
Jaroslav Katriňák
Jaroslav Katriňák (born 25 April 1966 in Martin) is a Slovak endurance motorcycle racer. Among his greatest achievements is achieving first overall in the Enduro World Championship in 1991, in the category of + 350 cc 4T and 9th overall place a ...
, endurance motorcycle racer, 9th overall place at 2007 Dakar Rally
* Jana Kirschner, pop singer
* Lucia Klocová, athlete, who specialises in the 800 metres
*
Andrej Kmeť
Andrej Kmeť (19 November 1841, Szénásfalu, Austrian Empire (today Bzenica, Slovakia) - 16 February 1908, Turócszentmárton (today Martin, Slovakia)) was a Slovak botanist, ethnographer, archaeologist, and geologist.Ľuboš Kostelný, actor
* Zora Mintalová - Zubercová, ethnographer, historian and museologist
* Anton Neuwirth, Presidential candidate, Ambassador
* Lukáš Plank, Pathologist
*
Miloslav Schmidt
Miloslav Schmidt (2 February 1881, Mošovce – 8 May 1934, Martin) was born in the family of an innkeeper and baker. After finishing school in Kremnica and completing training at his father's bakery Schmidt became the leading figure of the famil ...
, organizer of fire brigades
*
Róbert Švehla
Róbert Švehla ( , ; born January 2, 1969) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL for 9 seasons from 1995 until 2003 for the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Career
Švehla was drafted 78th overa ...
, ice hockey player, bronze medal at the WCH 1992, 2003
* Radovan Somík, ice hockey player, world champion at the WCH 2002
*
Peter Smrek
Peter Smrek (born 16 February 1979) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey defenceman who played 28 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) between the St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers.
Playing career Amateur
Smrek played for the ...
, ice hockey player, world champion at the WCH 2002
*
Richard Pánik
Richard Pánik (; born 7 February 1991) is a Slovak professional ice hockey right winger who is a free agent. Pánik was drafted in the second round, 52nd overall, in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Playing career
Junior
...
, ice hockey player, several seasons in NHL, AHL Calder Cup Champion
*
Pavol Steiner
Pavol Steiner, also Pavel Steiner and Paul Steiner (29 March 1908 in Bratislava – 4 June 1969 in Martin, Žilina) was a Czechoslovak Olympic water polo player and swimmer. He was also a cardiology surgeon. Steiner competed in the 1928 Summer ...
(1908–1969), Olympic water polo player, swimmer, and cardiac surgeon
*
Ján Tabaček
Ján Tabaček (born 7 April 1980 in Martin) is a Slovak ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family ...
, ice hockey player, 2× Czech Extraliga Champion, 1x NLA Champion, 5× Slovakian Extraliga Champion
* Petra Vajdová, actress, Best Actress award at 2016 DOSKY Awards
* Ladislav Záborský, painter