Dolný Kubín
Encyclopedia
Dolný Kubín is a town in northern Slovakia
in the Žilina Region
. It is the historical capital of the Orava
region.
and covers an area of 55.055 square kilometres (21.3 sq mi).
It is located in northern Slovakia on the Orava River
, between the Lesser Fatra
, Oravská Magura and Chočské vrchy mountains. It is located around 15 km (9.32 mi) from Ružomberok
, 45 km (27.96 mi) from the Polish
border and 270 km (167.77 mi) from Bratislava
. The town is composed of 10 boroughs: Banisko, Beňova Lehota, Brezovec, Kňažia, Malý Bysterec, Medzihradné, Mokraď, Staré mesto, Veľký Bysterec and Záskalie.
. It was granted town privileges (town status, town charter) in 1632, and its importance was further strengthened in 1633 when the town was granted the right to hold markets. In 1683 the town became the seat of the Orava
county
and in 1776 also the seat of a processus
district.
In the 19th century Dolný Kubín was a centre of Slovak national life and the poet Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav
and other Slovak national revivalists were active in the town.
The town experienced major developments mainly after World War II
, when electrical works as well as other enterprises were established.
St. Catherine church
was built in the 14th century. The Čaplovič Library, containing collection of newspapers, books, maps and other printed works from 15th to the 19th century, along with the P. O. Hviezdoslav Museum, is located in the town. The Orava Gallery focuses on the art works from the 15th century to the 20th century and is seated in the former County House from the 17th century. The Slovak poetical and prose competition, called Hviezdoslavov Kubín (Hviezdoslav's Kubín), takes place in the town since 1954. The Orava Castle is located few kilometres north-east of the town.
, the town had 19,948 inhabitants. 97.03% of inhabitants were Slovaks
, 1.07% Czechs
and 0.28% Roma. The religious make-up was 65.11% Roman Catholics, 16.62% Lutherans and 14.55% people with no religious affiliation.
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...
in the Žilina Region
Žilina Region
The Žilina Region is one of the eight Slovak administrative regions and consists of 11 districts .-Geography:It is located in northern Slovakia and has an area of 6,804 km² and a population of 694,763 . The whole area is mountainous, belonging to the Western Carpathians...
. It is the historical capital of the Orava
Orava (region)
Orava is the traditional name of a region situated in northern Slovakia and partially also in southern Poland . It encompasses the territory of the former Árva county.-History:...
region.
Geography
Dolný Kubín lies at an altitude of 468 metres (1,535 ft) above sea levelAbove mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
and covers an area of 55.055 square kilometres (21.3 sq mi).
It is located in northern Slovakia on the Orava River
Orava River
The Orava is a 60.9 km long river in north-western Slovakia passing through a picturesque country, in the Orava county. Its source is nowadays the Orava water reservoir whose waters flooded the confluence of Biela Orava and Čierna Orava in 1953. It flows into the river Váh near the village...
, between the Lesser Fatra
Lesser Fatra
Lesser Fatra is a mountain range in the Western Carpathians in the north-west of Central Slovakia. In the geomorphological system, it is a part of the Fatra-Tatra Area....
, Oravská Magura and Chočské vrchy mountains. It is located around 15 km (9.32 mi) from Ružomberok
Ružomberok
Ružomberok is a town in northern Slovakia, in the historical Liptov region. It has a population of around 30,000-Geography:...
, 45 km (27.96 mi) from the Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
border and 270 km (167.77 mi) from Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
. The town is composed of 10 boroughs: Banisko, Beňova Lehota, Brezovec, Kňažia, Malý Bysterec, Medzihradné, Mokraď, Staré mesto, Veľký Bysterec and Záskalie.
History
The first written reference of the town of Dolný Kubín dates from 1314. It was founded in the 14th century and initially belonged to the Orava DomainOrava (county)
Árva is the Hungarian name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in northern Slovakia and southern Poland...
. It was granted town privileges (town status, town charter) in 1632, and its importance was further strengthened in 1633 when the town was granted the right to hold markets. In 1683 the town became the seat of the Orava
Orava (county)
Árva is the Hungarian name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in northern Slovakia and southern Poland...
county
Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary)
A county is the name of a type of administrative units in the Kingdom of Hungary and in Hungary from the 10th century until the present day....
and in 1776 also the seat of a processus
Processus (Kingdom of Hungary)
The processus was the name of the lowest-level administrative unit in the Kingdom of Hungary between the 15th century and 1918.The counties in the Kingdom of Hungary were composed of processus, till 1848 led by noble judges...
district.
In the 19th century Dolný Kubín was a centre of Slovak national life and the poet Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav
Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav
Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav (* February 2, 1849 in Vyšný Kubín (Felsőkubin), Austrian Empire, Kingdom of Hungary, † November 8, 1921 in Dolný Kubín, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia), was a Slovak poet, dramatist, translator and for a short time member...
and other Slovak national revivalists were active in the town.
The town experienced major developments mainly after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when electrical works as well as other enterprises were established.
Landmarks and culture
The GothicGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
St. Catherine church
St. Catherine church in Dolný Kubín
St. Catherine's Church, Dolný Kubín, is a Roman Catholic church in Slovakia.The present Gothic church was built on the remnants of the first church of Dolný Kubín in the 14th century. The interior of the church was painted by "Slovenske umenie manifacture" in 1939. Paintings made by Edmund Maszanyi...
was built in the 14th century. The Čaplovič Library, containing collection of newspapers, books, maps and other printed works from 15th to the 19th century, along with the P. O. Hviezdoslav Museum, is located in the town. The Orava Gallery focuses on the art works from the 15th century to the 20th century and is seated in the former County House from the 17th century. The Slovak poetical and prose competition, called Hviezdoslavov Kubín (Hviezdoslav's Kubín), takes place in the town since 1954. The Orava Castle is located few kilometres north-east of the town.
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 19,948 inhabitants. 97.03% 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...
, 1.07% 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...
and 0.28% Roma. The religious make-up was 65.11% Roman Catholics, 16.62% Lutherans and 14.55% people with no religious affiliation.
Sport
- BK Dolný Kubín played the best basketball competition in Slovakia 2006/07-2008/09. To season 2009/10 season the club came because of the collapse.
- MFK Dolný KubínMFK Dolný KubínMFK Dolny Kubin is a Slovak football club located in Dolny Kubin. Since the 2009-10 season, playing in I.liga . He plays home games at the stadium Ivana Chodáka where was held in 2009 Slovak Super Cup between Slovan and Košice....
promoted to the I. LigaSlovak First LeagueThe Corgoň Liga is the top professional competition of association football in Slovakia.As of the 2011/12 season there are 12 teams competing in the league.-1...
in the second league season 2008/09. In second league captured first place and collected only 16 goals. - MHK Dolný KubínMHK Dolný KubínMHK Dolny Kubin is an ice hockey team in Dolny Kubin, Slovakia. They play in the Slovak 1.Liga, the second level of ice hockey in Slovakia. The club was founded in 2003....
plays First League in Slovakia and it is holding MHC MartinMHC MartinMHC Mountfield is a professional ice hockey team in the Slovak Extraliga.-History:Club was established in 1932 as Slávia Martin. Later the name was changed to Sokol, ŠK, ZŤS, Hutník, Martimex ZŤS, Martimex and MHC Martin . Since 2010/2011 season the name is MHC Mountfield. Club played in county...
Personalities
- Pavol Országh HviezdoslavPavol Országh HviezdoslavPavol Országh Hviezdoslav Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav (* February 2, 1849 in Vyšný Kubín (Felsőkubin), Austrian Empire, Kingdom of Hungary, † November 8, 1921 in Dolný Kubín, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia), was a Slovak poet, dramatist, translator and for a short time member...
(1849–1921), Slovak poet, born in nearby Vyšný KubínVyšný KubínVyšný Kubín is a village and municipality in Dolný Kubín District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia.-Famous people:*Margita Figuli, writer born in Vyšný Kubín*Pavol Országh Hviezdoslav, poet born in Vyšný Kubín...
, but lived and died in Dolný Kubín. - Ladislav Nádaši-JégéLadislav Nádaši-JégéLadislav Nádaši-Jégé was a Slovak writer, literary critic and doctor.-Life:...
(1866–1940), Slovak author, born, lived and died in Dolný Kubín. - Janko MatúškaJanko MatúškaJanko Matúška was a Slovak poet, activist, occasional playwright, and clerk of the court...
(1821–1877), author of Slovakia's national anthemNad Tatrou sa blýskaNad Tatrou sa blýska is the national anthem of Slovakia. The origins of the anthem are in the Central European activism of the 19th century. Its main themes are a storm over the Tatra mountains that symbolized danger to the Slovaks, and a desire for a resolution of the threat...
, was born, became clerk of the district court, and died in Dolný Kubín. - Juraj LaštíkJuraj LaštíkJuraj Laštík is a Slovakian ski mountaineer and has been member of the SSA national squad since 2005.Laštík was born in Dolny Kubin...
(b. 1987), Slovakian ski mountaineer - Ján Johanides (1934–2008), Slovak writer