Vranov nad Toplou
Encyclopedia
Vranov nad Topľou is a city of approximately 23,000 inhabitants in eastern Slovakia
, situated near Košice
and Prešov
, and between the Topľa River
and the Ondava River.
Parts: Vranov nad Topľou (proper); Čemerné
(Východoslovenská nížina) in the upper part of the region called Zemplín
between the rivers Topľa and Ondava.
. The earliest inhabitants of the area may have been Celtic tribes, especially the Boii which arrived in what is now Slovakia in 150-100 B.C. In about 380 A.D. the Huns arrived in what is now Hungary, and their empire flourished until 455 A.D. The Gepidi, a Celtic tribe lived in the area from 260-567 when they were conquered by the Lombards and Avars. Asian Avars arrived in the mid 6th century. Some slavs entered the area from the north but were assimilated by the Avars after 560 A.D. Ostragoths, Franks, Bulgarians also conquered the area prior to the re-arrival of the Huns
896 when they crossed the surrounding Carpathian mountains. The future town Vranov nad Topľou was uninhabited or sparsely inhabited when the Hungarian tribes arrived in the area after 896 A.D. There is no record of any major settlement in the area. The medieval settlement of Vranov nad Topľou was part of the castle estate Csisva which was built in 1310. Because of the advantageous geographical position of the town situated on the important trading path leading from Eperjes/Prešov, Vranov nad Topľou became an economic and social centre for the territory in the basin of two rivers, the Ondava and the Topľa. Besides the local trade, handicraft production has been developed here, too.
The first written mention dates back to 1332-1335. Vranov was granted town status before 1363.
The heads of the municipal government founded were the mayor and the counselors. The town was given more municipal privileges (toll right, right to store the goods, right to hold an annual market) by King Matthias Corvinus in 1461, and the town was given the right to make out written documents with a municipal seal. The figure of King Stephen was on the first original seal. The heraldic coat-of-arms in its present form has been used since 1622. The first guilds were founded here in the 16th century. The guild of Vranov shoemakers is one of the oldest guilds in the whole Zemplín county. A grammar school
was founded in the town in the 16th century.
When Hungary was conquered by the Turks in 1526, Vranov was mostly unaffected as the northern regions of Hungary were not conquered by the Turks and this allowed the city to prosper under the Zapolya house which ruled the area and the Thokoly's in the late 17th century.
In the second half of the 19th century, Vranov nad Topľou became the centre of a region of 44 villages. At the end of the century there was mass emigration. In 1903, Vranov got access to the railroad; electric lighting and the telephone were introduced in 1906.
After the formation of Czechoslovakia
, the Hungarian name Varanno was changed to Vranov nad Topľou and it remained a small agrarian and craft town. During the Second World War
, some partisan groups were formed in the region, and the town became the centre of an anti-fascist revolt. In 1942 most of the remaining Hungarians, those who would not declare that they were ethnic Slovaks, were deported from Vranov and ethnic Slovaks were moved into the area. The period after 1945 was a time of industrial development, building of housing estates and reconstruction of the town centre.
, the town had 22,985 inhabitants. 93.11% of inhabitants were Slovaks
, 4.40% Roma, 0.61% Czechs
, 0.27% Rusyns
and 0.25% Ukrainian. The religious makeup was 62.61% Roman Catholics, 20.13% Greek Catholics, 7.18% Lutherans and 5.70% people with no religious affiliation.
(a castle built in the 18th century on the place of a castle built in the Middle Ages). Vranov was also a major milling centre during the 16th century.
The town is the starting point for trips to the Veľká Domaša
water reservoir.
The town is an economic center of the surroundings. In the late 20th century it housed chemical (Bukóza works), clothing (Slovenka), building materials and food industries.
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...
, situated near Košice
Košice
Košice is a 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...
and Prešov
Prešov
Prešov Historically, the city has been known in German as Eperies , Eperjes in Hungarian, Fragopolis in Latin, Preszów in Polish, Peryeshis in Romany, Пряшев in Russian and Пряшів in Rusyn and Ukrainian.-Characteristics:The city is a showcase of Baroque, Rococo and Gothic...
, and between the Topľa River
Topla River
The Topla River is a tributary of the Bega River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
and the Ondava River.
Parts: Vranov nad Topľou (proper); Čemerné
Location
Vranov nad Toplou occupies the northwest bulge of the Eastern Slovak LowlandEastern Slovak Lowland
The East Slovak Lowland is the name of the part of Great Hungarian Plain situated in Slovakia....
(Východoslovenská nížina) in the upper part of the region called Zemplín
Zemplín
Zemplén is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently situated in eastern Slovakia under the name of Zemplín...
between the rivers Topľa and Ondava.
History
First archaeological finds stem from the Migration PeriodMigration Period
The Migration Period, also called the Barbarian Invasions , was a period of intensified human migration in Europe that occurred from c. 400 to 800 CE. This period marked the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages...
. The earliest inhabitants of the area may have been Celtic tribes, especially the Boii which arrived in what is now Slovakia in 150-100 B.C. In about 380 A.D. the Huns arrived in what is now Hungary, and their empire flourished until 455 A.D. The Gepidi, a Celtic tribe lived in the area from 260-567 when they were conquered by the Lombards and Avars. Asian Avars arrived in the mid 6th century. Some slavs entered the area from the north but were assimilated by the Avars after 560 A.D. Ostragoths, Franks, Bulgarians also conquered the area prior to the re-arrival of the Huns
Huns
The Huns were a group of nomadic people who, appearing from east of the Volga River, migrated into Europe c. AD 370 and established the vast Hunnic Empire there. Since de Guignes linked them with the Xiongnu, who had been northern neighbours of China 300 years prior to the emergence of the Huns,...
896 when they crossed the surrounding Carpathian mountains. The future town Vranov nad Topľou was uninhabited or sparsely inhabited when the Hungarian tribes arrived in the area after 896 A.D. There is no record of any major settlement in the area. The medieval settlement of Vranov nad Topľou was part of the castle estate Csisva which was built in 1310. Because of the advantageous geographical position of the town situated on the important trading path leading from Eperjes/Prešov, Vranov nad Topľou became an economic and social centre for the territory in the basin of two rivers, the Ondava and the Topľa. Besides the local trade, handicraft production has been developed here, too.
The first written mention dates back to 1332-1335. Vranov was granted town status before 1363.
The heads of the municipal government founded were the mayor and the counselors. The town was given more municipal privileges (toll right, right to store the goods, right to hold an annual market) by King Matthias Corvinus in 1461, and the town was given the right to make out written documents with a municipal seal. The figure of King Stephen was on the first original seal. The heraldic coat-of-arms in its present form has been used since 1622. The first guilds were founded here in the 16th century. The guild of Vranov shoemakers is one of the oldest guilds in the whole Zemplín county. A grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
was founded in the town in the 16th century.
When Hungary was conquered by the Turks in 1526, Vranov was mostly unaffected as the northern regions of Hungary were not conquered by the Turks and this allowed the city to prosper under the Zapolya house which ruled the area and the Thokoly's in the late 17th century.
In the second half of the 19th century, Vranov nad Topľou became the centre of a region of 44 villages. At the end of the century there was mass emigration. In 1903, Vranov got access to the railroad; electric lighting and the telephone were introduced in 1906.
After the formation of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, the Hungarian name Varanno was changed to Vranov nad Topľou and it remained a small agrarian and craft town. During the Second World War
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...
, some partisan groups were formed in the region, and the town became the centre of an anti-fascist revolt. In 1942 most of the remaining Hungarians, those who would not declare that they were ethnic Slovaks, were deported from Vranov and ethnic Slovaks were moved into the area. The period after 1945 was a time of industrial development, building of housing estates and reconstruction of the town centre.
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 22,985 inhabitants. 93.11% 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...
, 4.40% Roma, 0.61% 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...
, 0.27% Rusyns
Rusyns
Carpatho-Rusyns are a primarily diasporic ethnic group who speak an Eastern Slavic language, or Ukrainian dialect, known as Rusyn. Carpatho-Rusyns descend from a minority of Ruthenians who did not adopt the use of the ethnonym "Ukrainian" in the early twentieth century...
and 0.25% Ukrainian. The religious makeup was 62.61% Roman Catholics, 20.13% Greek Catholics, 7.18% Lutherans and 5.70% people with no religious affiliation.
Noteworthy objects
The town features a Gothic church from the 15th century (rebuilt 1578 and again 1718), a baroque monastery from 1718, a neo-Gothic Evangelic Lutheran church of 1930-1935, a Reformed church from the early 20th century, a synagogue of 1923, and a classicist manor houseManor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
(a castle built in the 18th century on the place of a castle built in the Middle Ages). Vranov was also a major milling centre during the 16th century.
The town is the starting point for trips to the Veľká Domaša
Velká Domaša
Domaša is a dam situated in the mountains surrounding The Low Beskids, in the north of the town Vranov nad Topľou, in Eastern Slovakia.-Geography and history:...
water reservoir.
The town is an economic center of the surroundings. In the late 20th century it housed chemical (Bukóza works), clothing (Slovenka), building materials and food industries.
Famous people
- Ján FigeľJán FigelJán Figeľ is a Slovakian politician, previously European Commissioner for Education, Training & Culture. His area of responsibility also covered sport, youth, and relations with civil society.-Early career:...
, the first European CommissionEuropean CommissionThe European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
er for Slovakia, currently the leader of the Christian Democratic Movement party.