SLOVAKIA

(Slovak Republic)

General information

Geographical location. Slovakia is a Central European state. The state borders Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic. Square. The territory of Slovakia covers 49,035 km. sq.

Main cities administrative division. The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava. The largest cities: Bratislava (443 thousand people), Kosice (235 thousand people), Nitrat (90 thousand people), Presov (88 thousand people). Administratively, Slovakia is divided into 3 regions and a capital equivalent to them.

State system

Slovakia-republic. The head of state is the president. The head of government is the prime minister. The legislative body is the unicameral National Council.

Relief. Most of Slovakia is located in the Western Carpathians, which are low and medium-high mountains with soft, rounded relief shapes. Only the highest massif of the country - the High Tatras - has rocky mountains with traces of glaciation. The lowlands occupy a small area in the southwest.

Geological structure and minerals. On the territory of Slovakia there are deposits of iron ore, antimony, magnesite, and manganese.

Climate. Summer is hot in Slovakia and cold winter. The sunniest and warmest region of the country is located in the Danube Valley east of Bratislava. Average temperature January -2°C, July +21°C. Summers in the mountains are cooler, and in winter there is a lot of snow. In autumn it rains all over the country.

Inland waters. The rivers mainly belong to the Danube basin. The border between Slovakia and the Czech Republic runs along the Morava River.

Soils and vegetation. Large tracts of deciduous trees (oak, beech) and coniferous forests cover the mountain slopes.

Animal world. In Slovakia, wolves, lynx, hare, fox, bear, deer, roe deer, and hedgehogs are common.

Population and language

The total number of inhabitants of Slovakia is about 5.5 million people. The average population density is 110 people per 1 sq. km. 77% of Slovaks live in cities. The most densely populated areas are located in the east of the country. In Slovakia in present moment There are also about 570 thousand Hungarians, which is 10% of total number population. On the territory of the republic there is the largest Roma diaspora in Europe, amounting to 300 thousand people. Poles, Jews, Russians and Ukrainians also live in Slovakia.

The official language of Slovakia is Slovak.

Religion

About 60% of the population is Catholic. Of the Protestants, most are Calvinists and Lutherans, and a small percentage of the population professes Orthodox religion. Catholic Church plays a fairly significant role in political life countries.

Brief historical sketch

BIV century n. e. Slavic tribes appeared on the territory of modern Slovakia.

In the VI century. the Slavs had to defend their territory from Arab invasions. During this period, the independent Nitra principality emerged.

19th century Czech princes annexed the lands of the Slovaks to the Great Moravian Empire. The first ruler of this ancient Slavic state was Moimir I. The closest neighbor of his power was the Frankish Empire, from where Christian missionaries came to the Czechs, trying not only to convert the pagan tribes to a new faith, but also to strengthen Frankish influence in the lands of the Slavs. Moymir did not want to submit to his formidable neighbor and, in order to strengthen his own independence, sought to enlist the support of another powerful state of that time - the Byzantine Empire.

Continuing his policy, the next ruler of Great Moravia, Rostislav (846-870), invited two missionaries from Constantinople - Cyril and Methodius. Thanks to the labors of the brothers, Byzantium soon granted the Moravians the privilege of worshiping in Old Church Slavonic and using the Glagolitic script developed by Cyril. Old Church Slavonic became the third world language in Europe, along with Latin and Greek.

During the reign of Rostislav's nephew Svatopluk (871-894), the Slavic state again fell under the influence of Catholicism, the Moravian independent church organization was established not from Constantinople, but from Rome.

In 896, the Magyars began to invade the Czech lands. The Great Moravian Empire practically ceased to exist.

At the beginning of the 11th century. part of the territory of Slovakia was captured by the Hungarian princes, and by 1018 almost its entire territory became part of the Kingdom of Hungary.

In the 13th century Hungary entered a period of feudal fragmentation. For this reason, its rulers were unable to repel the invasion of the Tatars in 1241, after which the southwestern and southeastern regions of the Slovak lands suffered especially; they were completely devastated.

In 1298, the major Hungarian feudal lord Matus Csaka, with the support of the minor nobility, took possession of the territory of western and central Slovakia and helped the Czech king Wenceslas II gain a foothold on the Hungarian throne for several years.

In the middle of the 15th century. The Ottoman Empire began invading Hungarian territory.

In 1526, the Turks inflicted a decisive defeat on the Hungarian-Slovak army at the Battle of Mohács. The capital of the Kingdom of Hungary was moved from Buda to Bratislava.

In the middle of the 16th century. The Habsburgs took possession of the Hungarian crown, and Slovakia became part of the vast Austrian Empire.

IN mid-19th V. Ludovit Štur (1815-1856), son of a pastor, created the Slovak literary language.

In 1918, the Slovaks recognized the provisional government of Tomas Masaryk, as a result of which Czechoslovakia was formed.

In 1918, the President of the Republic, Tomas Masaryk, while signing the law on Slovak immigrants to the United States, promised the imminent formation of an independent Slovak parliament.

In 1920, the constitution of a united Czechoslovakia was adopted, the official language of which was declared Czech.

In 1935 at parliamentary elections the majority of Slovaks gave their votes to political organizations that advocated autonomy.

In 1938, under strong public pressure, the autonomy of Slovakia within Czechoslovakia was proclaimed.

In 1939, after the capture of Czechoslovakia by German troops, a protectorate regime was established in Slovakia, and it formally gained independence. The country was led by the pro-fascist leader J. Tiso.

In August 1944, Slovak partisans organized a national uprising, which was brutally suppressed in October of the same year.

In April 1945 Soviet troops began the liberation of Slovakia; by May 1945, Bratislava was liberated.

In 1947, due to the deterioration of the economic situation in the country, the Communists began to lose the support of large sections of the population.

In 1948, the so-called February victory of the communists took place, when, after twelve non-communist ministers resigned, Gottwald achieved the approval of a new government, in which there were no longer representatives of other parties.

In the 90s, serious reforms were carried out in the post-communist republic to transfer the national economy to market principles, in particular, the privatization of state property.

In April 1990, the Federal Assembly announced the new name of the state: the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic.

Market reforms in Slovakia were much more difficult than in the more economically developed Czech Republic.

In 1992, in a referendum, the majority of the population of Slovakia voted to secede from Czechoslovakia.

Brief Economic Sketch

Slovakia is an industrial-agrarian country. Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, engineering, oil refining, petrochemical, chemical, forestry, woodworking, textile, food industry. Agriculture is dominated by farming (cereals, sugar beets, etc.). Gardening, viticulture. Meat and dairy cattle breeding. Export: machinery and equipment, products of the oil refining, chemical and woodworking industries, agriculture etc.

The monetary unit is the Slovak koruna.

Brief essay culture

Art and architecture. Monuments of primitive art, as well as ancient Roman buildings from the first centuries of our era, have been preserved on the territory of Slovakia. Since the Middle Ages, the development of Slovak art took place in the context of a centuries-old struggle for the preservation of national culture.

The first architectural monuments date back to the period early Middle Ages. Romanesque buildings of the 11th-12th centuries: a single-hall church in Drazovce, a basilica in Djakovce, as well as a number of castles. In the XIII-XV centuries. Gothic architecture is developing in Slovakia, in its own way architectural features close to the Czech architectural tradition. Cathedrals in Bratislava, churches in Kremnica and Presov have survived to this day. In the 16th century Secular architecture took the leading place. During this period, town halls and residential buildings were built in the spirit of the Renaissance, and castles were rebuilt. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. Baroque art spreads in Slovakia (Trinity Church in Bratislava). IN THE HEH century. Slovak architecture was characterized by classicism.

Bratislava. Stary Grad, St. Martin's Cathedral (XIV century), church of the XIII century, old town hall (XIV century). Kosice. Cathedral of St. Elizabeth (XV century). Nitra. Castle (XIII century), Basilica of St. Emeram (XIII century).

Numerous medieval castles throughout the country.

Literature. J. Kollar (1793-1852) was a figure of the Slovak and Czech national Renaissance, poet, scientist, in poems (“Daughter of Glory”) and articles he spoke with a program for the cultural rapprochement of the Slavs.

Music. By the second half of the 19th century. refers to the activities of a galaxy of talented composers who laid the foundations of modern Slovak music. The largest of them is YAL. Bella (1843-1936).

Useful information for tourists about Slovakia, cities and resorts of the country. As well as information about the population, currency of Slovakia, cuisine, features of visa and customs restrictions in Slovakia.

Geography of Slovakia

Slovakia is a state in Central Europe. It borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary and Austria. It has no access to the sea.

Most of the country is mountainous (the highest point of the country is Gerlachovski-Štit, 2655 m). A third of the country is occupied by the fertile South Slovak and East Slovak lowlands in the southeast and the Danube lowlands east of Bratislava.

State

State structure

Parliamentary democratic republic. The head of the country is the president. The highest legislative body is the National Council (People's Rada).

Language

Official language: Slovak

Czech, Hungarian, German, English and, in their places of residence, the languages ​​of ethnic groups are widely spoken.

Religion

Catholics (60%), Protestants (8%), Orthodox (4%), others.

Currency

International name: SKK

The Slovak koruna is equal to 100 hellers. In circulation there are coins in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 hellers and 1, 2, 5 and 10 crowns (Sk) and banknotes in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 kroner. Czechoslovakian coins and banknotes are not valid.

EuroCard and MasterCard credit cards are accepted in almost all banks, as well as VISA, American Express and Eurocheque. They are accepted in most large hotels, gas stations, and less commonly in restaurants and stores. ATMs are becoming increasingly common in Slovakia, although it’s best not to count on them outside of major cities. Slovak ATMs are usually connected to the international payment systems MasterCard, VISA, Plus, Maestro, Cirrus.

Popular attractions

Tourism in Slovakia

Where to stay

Slovakia provides tourists with not only modern luxury hotels, but also accommodation for every taste - small cozy boarding houses, private apartments, guest houses. At the same time, decent and affordable housing can be found both in big cities and in rural areas.

Hotels of international chains are usually located in large resort towns. In Slovakia you can stay in one of the hotels of the Hilton, Sheraton, Holiday Inn and others. The cost of living here is quite consistent with the level of service offered in hotels.

In contrast, living in hostels is considered the cheapest and, accordingly, the least comfortable. As a rule, these are former workers' dormitories that have been converted into hotels. For a small fee you get a bed and a shared bathroom. But in student dormitories, which are open to tourists during the summer holidays (from June to August), you can find quite cozy room and a separate bathroom.

In small mountain villages in the Tatras, Low Tatras, Lesser and Greater Fatra mountains you will find not only cheap accommodation, but also quite modern mountain hotels different levels service. Here you will be offered comfortable stay, home comfort and excellent food.

Also works in Slovakia large number private boarding houses and apartments. In rural areas, these are buildings that are practically no different from traditional peasant houses. In the city, these can be boarding houses with their own restaurant.

IN summer period about 100 campsites open in Slovakia and summer camps With developed infrastructure– showers, laundry, toilets, some have restaurants, cafes, shops.

IN recent years Agritourism, which involves accommodation in historic estates, mills or farms, is becoming increasingly popular.

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Popular hotels

Excursions and attractions in Slovakia

Despite their modest size, Slovakia is famous for its huge number of natural, historical, cultural and architectural attractions. Slovakia is home to majestic mountains and famous ski resorts, vast forests and picturesque plains, numerous mineral springs, stunningly beautiful caves and, of course, ancient castles and fortresses.

The main attraction of Slovakia is, of course, its natural resources. A significant part of the country is occupied by mountain ranges - the Lesser Carpathians, the White Carpathians, the High Tatras, the Low Tatras, the Slovak Rudogorye, Javorniki, Mala Fatra, etc. It is not surprising that Slovakia is considered one of the most popular European ski centers. The most famous and visited ski resorts are Strbske Pleso, Jasna, Tatranska Lomnica, Donovaly, Smokovec, Podbanske and Ruzomberok.

The country is also famous for its balneological resorts. Numerous thermal springs and healing mineral waters Slovakia is famous all over the world. Among the most famous hydropathic establishments, it is worth highlighting Piestany, Bojnice, Vyšné Ružbachy, Bardejov, Dudnice and Bardejovo Baths. The climatic resort of Slovakia Novy Smokovec is also famous - one of the best in Europe for the treatment of respiratory diseases (located in the High Tatras at an altitude of 1018 m above sea level).

Among the natural attractions of Slovakia special place There are also numerous caves, of which there are about 4,000 in the country. This is a real paradise for speleologists. The most interesting are the Demanovskaya cave system (Freedom Cave and Ice Cave), Belyanskaya Cave, Vazhetskaya Cave, Domitsa, Drina Cave, Jasovskaya Cave, Gombasetskaya Cave, Okhtinskaya Aragonite Cave, and Dobshinskaya Ice Cave.

Lovers of history and architecture should definitely visit the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, one of the oldest cities in the country. Among the abundance of various attractions of the capital, it is worth noting Bratislava Castle, the Grassalkovich Palace, Cathedral St. Martin, Old Town Hall, New Bridge, St. Elizabeth's Church (Blue Church), St. Nicholas Church, Slovak National Gallery, St. Michael's Gate and Bratislava Zoo. In the vicinity of Bratislava there are the ruins of Devin Castle.

On the territory of Slovakia, many magnificent medieval castles and fortresses have survived to this day. Bojnice Castle, Spiš Castle, Orava Castle, Krasna Horka, Cherveny Kamen, Trenčiansky Castle, Kezmar Castle, Beckov Castle, Smolenice Castle, the ruins of the Levin Fortress and the Castle in Kremnica are very popular among tourists.

The charming cities of Slovakia such as Kosice, Banska Bystrica, Banska Stiavnica, Nitra, Presov, Trencin, Levoca, Trnava, Komárno and Liptovsky Mikulas are also worth a visit. Here you will find many interesting sights and a lot of impressions.

Bratislava - capital of the Slovak Republic. Here are the residence of the country's president, the government and the National Council (the elected legislative body of the state). The etymology of the Slavic name of the city is very simple and easy to read: Bratislava - “brotherly glory”.

Bratislava is located in the west of the Danube Lowland. North of the capital The Small Carpathian Mountains begin. The city is located on the left bank of the Danube River near the confluence of the Morava River. Bratislava is surrounded by forests. A temperate continental climate prevails here. The seasons are distinct. In winter it is usually dry, the temperature stays within +2° C; in summer it is humid and warm - on average +21° C. About 500 mm of precipitation falls per year. Feature geographical location The capital in relation to the entire country is its border location. Usually main city The country is located in the center of the territory occupied by the state. With Bratislava the situation is different: the opposite bank of the Danube belongs to Austria. Population, language, religion The bulk of the capital's residents are Slovaks (85%); many Hungarians (10%) and Czechs. In total, 450 thousand people live in the city. The official language in the state is Slovak, the formation of which dates back to the 40s of the 19th century. The Latin alphabet is used for writing. Often found Hungarian, as well as in the capital of the country, Russian, Czech, German, and English are widely spoken. In Bratislava, as in all of Slovakia, the Roman Catholic Church dominates. About 60% of the city's residents consider themselves Catholics. Approximately 6% of the population are followers of the Slovak Evangelical Church. However, the capital is home to many believers of other faiths: those belonging to the Greek Catholic Church, Orthodox and Protestants in the Augsburg spirit.

Capital of Slovakia. Bratislava.

Slovakia Square. 49035 km2.

Population of Slovakia. 5500 thousand people

Administrative divisions of Slovakia. Slovakia is divided into 3 regions and a capital equivalent to them.

Form of government of Slovakia. Republic.

Head of State of Slovakia. President, elected for a term of 5 years.

Supreme legislative body of Slovakia. National Council (unicameral parliament), term of office - 4 years.

Supreme executive body of Slovakia. Government.

Major cities in Slovakia. Kosice, Nitra, Presov, Zilina.

Official language of Slovakia. Slovak.

Currency of Slovakia. Slovak koruna = 100 hellers.

Fauna of Slovakia. In Slovakia, wolves, hare, lynx, bear, fox, hedgehog, roe deer, deer are common, and birds include partridge, stork, kingfisher, eagle, etc. There is a lot of fish in the ponds.

Rivers and lakes of Slovakia. The largest rivers are the tributaries Vah and Hron, Morava. Many small lakes.

Sights of Slovakia. In Bratislava there is the Old Castle of the 9th-18th centuries, St. Martin's Cathedral of the 13th-19th centuries, the church of the 13th century, the Old Town Hall of the 13th-18th centuries, numerous museums. In Kosice - St. Elizabeth's Cathedral, St. Michael's Chapel of the 14th century; in Nitra - a castle of the 13th century, the Basilica of St. Eme Rama; numerous medieval castles throughout the country. The High Tatras are a recognized world ski center.

Useful information for tourists

All cities have a public city center. The cost of a travel pass is 5 CZK (in Bratislava - 7 CZK). You can rent a car.

There are electric trains (small ones with 2 or 3 carriages), but their speed is not great, since the area is mostly mountainous. For a bus ride over a distance of 20-30 km you usually have to pay 8-12 CZK, but the fare is not always directly proportional to the distance. Mains voltage - 220 V, current frequency - 50 Hz. Sockets - European standard.

Formed in 1993 after the collapse of Czechoslovakia. Russian tourists are increasingly traveling to local ski resorts and, when preparing their trip, are interested in what the official language is. The vast majority of the country's residents consider Slovak their native language. It is preferred as a means of communication by more than four million citizens of the republic, or 80% of the population.

Some statistics and facts

• The official language of Slovakia belongs to the Slavic group.
• Hungarian is also popular in the republic. More than 9% of the population, or about half a million people, prefer to communicate on it. In regions of Slovakia where Hungarians make up more than 20% of the population, their language is used as an official language along with Slovak.
• About 2.5% of Slovak citizens are ethnic gypsies who use their own dialect in everyday life.
• Slightly more than 1% of the republic’s residents called the Rusyn language their native language. Rusyns are a group Eastern Slavs, living not only in Slovakia, but also in Western, and.

Slovak: history and modernity

The official language of Slovakia is close to Czech and together they form a subgroup in Western Slavic language group.
Back in the 10th century, part of the Slavs living on the territory of the Great Moravian state used Old Church Slavonic, but later on the territory of modern Slovakia as literary languages Czech and Latin were proclaimed. Slovak began to take shape literary only in the middle of the 18th century and received due recognition in the 19th century. Today, Slovaks use the Latin alphabet to write.
Lexical fund state language Slovakia contains many borrowings, mainly from Latin, German and Hungarian. IN vocabulary Among the inhabitants of the republic there are also Italian, Romanian and even Russian words.
Slovak is spoken by ethnic Slovaks in Romania and Serbia. There are at least 5.2 million Slovak speakers in the world.

Note to tourists

As foreign language Slovaks are increasingly learning English, and therefore tourists usually do not have problems with understanding. All important information V tourist centers is provided in many languages, and for visiting attractions you can enlist the support of English-speaking and Russian-speaking guides.