Content deleted Content added
mNo edit summary |
m →Famous residents: typo |
||
Line 1:
{{Infobox Slovak town |
image_coat_of_arms = |
subject_name = Topoľčany |
slovak_region = [[Nitra Region]] |
slovak_district = [[Topoľčany District]] |
coordinates = {{coor dms|48|33|15|N|18|10|37|E|type:city_scale:30000}} |
altitude = 174 |
population = 28,945 <small>''(2005)''</small> |
area = 27.576|
prefix = 38 |
psc = 955 01 |
car_plate = TO |
image_location = Map slovakia topolcany.png
}}
'''Topoľčany''' ({{lang-sk|Veľké Topoľčany}} before [[1920]]; {{lang-de|(Groß) topoltschan}}; {{lang-hu|Nagytapolcsány}}) is a town in the [[Nitra Region]] of [[Slovakia]]. The population as of [[2005]] was 28,945.
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]]. Recent studies show that this name is derived from Old-Slavonic "topol" meaning "warm, hot", for there were hot springs in early medieval times.
==History==
[[Image:Topolciansky hrad.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Topoľčany Castle]]
Founded in the [[9th century]], Topoľčany was a regional market centre during the [[Middle Ages]] located on the western bank of the Nitra River and on a crossroad of trade routes.
During the [[12th century]] and [[13th century]], Topoľčany was owned by Csak family, its most famous member being [[Matthew Csak]]. In the [[15th century]], the town was conquered and held by the [[Hussites]] for few years.
During the [[16th century|16th]] and [[17th century|17th centuries]] there were a few large-scale fires that destroyed substantial parts of the city. Because the town was only 60 km north of the border between the [[Ottoman Empire]] and the [[Habsburg Monarchy]], Topoľčany was often raided by the [[Ottoman Turks]] during the [[Ottoman wars in Europe]], notably in years 1599 and 1643, when many citizens were taken into slavery. The town's population stagnated as a result.
For most of its history Topoľčany's population was ethnically mixed. While the [[rural]] population was almost purely [[Slovaks|Slovak]], the [[urban area|urban]] population consisted of [[Carpathian Germans]], [[Jew]]s, and [[Magyars]]. Jews immigrated to the town during the 16th-[[18th century|18th centuries]]. This ethnic mix came to an end in the first part of the 20th century, as [[industrialization]] attracted Slovaks from surrounding areas and the number of Magyars decreased after the creation of [[Czechoslovakia]] following [[World War I]].
The Jewish (about 3,200 people) and German population substantially decreased during [[World War II]]. The 550 Jews from Topoľčany who survived the [[Holocaust]] and returned to their homes found themselves strangers in their native city, without property and in many cases without citizenship. Because most of the Jews in Topoľčany spoke Hungarian or German, they had declared their ethnicity in the last pre-war Czechoslovak census as Magyar or German instead of Jewish or Slovak. The [[Beneš decrees]] after World War II expelled Hungarian and German-speakers, both Jewish and [[Christian]] in religious creed. Also, most of Topoľčany's pre-war businesses were owned by Jews, but were taken over by Slovaks during the war. Jews that survived the war fled after a [[pogrom]] of 24 September [[1945]] that injured a few dozen people (some say it was because of a rumour that a Jewish doctor was injecting children with a poisonous serum, another version states that the Jews wanted to take over local monastery school). Because of these actions, all of the remaining Jewish population emigrated.
==Population==
Topoľčany is predominantly Slovak-inhabited, with small minorities of [[Roma people|Roma]] and Magyars. From [[2004]]-[[2005|05]] there were also numbers of [[Czechs]] and [[Poles]], as the city was the host of a joint Slovak-[[Czech Republic|Czech]]-[[Poland|Polish]] military operation meant to prepare Slovakia for joining [[NATO]].
The majority of the population is [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] (there are two churches of this denomination including one on the central square), although there is also a minority of [[Protestantism|Protestants]] (one church). The historical [[synagogue]] was destroyed by fire during World War II.
Large army [[barracks]] are located in the city, as during the [[History of Communist Czechoslovakia|Communist]] era there were about 2,000 troops stationed in the town. The surrounding forests are full of unused [[bunker]]s.
==Industry==
There are four main industries in Topoľčany - Topvar brewery ([[SABMiller]] holding), kitchen furniture producer Decodom, cableware producer SEWS (owned by a [[Japan|Japanese]] company), and the clothing company Ozeta (producer of suits and jackets). The large "ZTS" factory , a heavy machinery producer in neighboring [[Tovarníky]], is no longer a major employer.
==Education==
Educational infrastructure is made by [[kindergarten]]s, [[elementary school]]s, [[high school]]s (both universal and specialised) and a branch of a Bratislava-based [[university]]. However, most youth from the city head to [[Nitra]], [[Bratislava]], or [[Trnava]] for higher education.
==Famous residents==
*[[Miroslav Šatan]] (born 1974), hockey player
*[[Ľubomír Višňovský]] (born 1976), hockey player
*[[Rudolf Vrba]] (1924-2006), professor and escapee of Auschwitz
==External links==
*[http://www.topolcany.sk/ Municipal website] {{sk icon}}
*[http://toptown.szm.sk/ Topoľčany portal] {{sk icon}}
*[http://to.mesto.sk/ Topoľčany portal] {{sk icon}}
*[http://topolcany.org/ Topoľčany forum] {{sk icon}}
{{Topolcany District}}
{{coor title dm|48|34|N|18|11|E|region:SK_type:city}}
[[Category:Cities and towns in Slovakia|Topolcany]]
[[cs:Topoľčany]]
[[de:Topoľčany]]
[[hu:Nagytapolcsány]]
[[pl:Topolczany]]
[[ro:Topoľčany]]
[[ru:Топольчаны]]
[[sk:Topoľčany]]
| |||