Nové Zámky

Nové Zámky
Érsekújvár
Town
Main square of Nové Zámky
Coat of arms
Country Slovakia
Region Nitra
District Nové Zámky
River Nitra
Elevation 119 m (390 ft)
Coordinates SK 47°59′08″N 18°09′28″E / 47.98556°N 18.15778°E / 47.98556; 18.15778Coordinates: SK 47°59′08″N 18°09′28″E / 47.98556°N 18.15778°E / 47.98556; 18.15778
Area 72.565 km2 (28.018 sq mi)
Population 39,585 (2011-12-31)
Density 546 / km2 (1,414 / sq mi)
Founded 1573
Mayor Otokar Klein
Timezone CET (UTC+1)
 - summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 940 01
Area code +421-35
Car plate NZ
Location in Slovakia
Location in the Nitra Region
Wikimedia Commons: Nové Zámky
Statistics: MOŠ/MIS
Website: www.novezamky.sk

Nové Zámky ( pronunciation ; Hungarian: Érsekújvár, German: Neuhäus[e]l, Turkish: Uyvar, Latin: Novum Castrum) is a town in southwestern Slovakia.

Geography

The town is located on the Danubian Lowland, on the Nitra River, at an altitude of 119 metres. It is located around 100 km from Bratislava and around 25 km from the Hungarian border. It is a road and railway hub of southern Slovakia.

The town lies in the temperate zone and has a continental climate. Annual average temperature reaches around 10 °C (50.0 °F), with the warmest month being July with an average of 20 °C (68 °F) and the coldest January with −2 °C (28 °F). Average annual precipitation is 556 mm.[1]

History

ca. 1680 plan of the "Neuhäusel Ideal Fortified City", as Nové Zámky was then designated under the Habsburgs.
Memorial plaque of the Jews from Nové Zámky who died during World War II

The town has a distinguished history. From the second half of the 10th century until 1918, it was part of the Kingdom of Hungary. A fortress was built, against the Ottoman Turks, on the site of an older settlement in the years 1573–81. The town developed around the fortress. The huge new fortress was one of the most modern fortresses in Europe when it was built, a prime example of the star fortress which was considered to be adapted to the advance in artillery in the preceding centuries. (In fact, the Hungarian name means "the archbishop's new castle".)

The Turks failed to conquer it six times (except Turkish rule between 1566–1595[2] and 1605–1606),[3] but in 1663 they managed to do so. It was made the center of a Turkish eyalet in present-day southern Slovakia – with the subordinate sanjaks of Litra, Leve, Novigrad, Holok, Bukabak and Şefradi (probably Šahy).

The saying "Strong as a Turk in front of Nové Zámky", which means working with determination and stability, reflects the memory of conquest determination of the Turks.

In 1685 it was conquered by the imperial troops of Charles V, Duke of Lorraine. Six years later, it received town privileges from the Esztergom archbishop.

The town also played an important role in many anti-Habsburg uprisings in the northern parts of Royal Hungary in the 17th century. Emperor Charles VI had it razed in 1724–1725, to prevent potential further insurrections which would use the fortress as their base.

After break-up of Austria-Hungary in 1918/1920, the town became part of newly created Czechoslovakia. As a result of the First Vienna Award, it was occupied by Hungary between 1938 and 1945. Finally, during World War II (1944), the town was heavily damaged by bombings of the Allies.[4] Only small parts of the fortress are still standing today. It is, however, still depicted on the city's coat of arms.

Culture

Synagogue

The orthodox synagogue is located at Česká bašta and dates from the second half of the 19th century. After reconstruction in 1992 it was registered as a historic landmark of Slovakia. It is one of only four synagogues in Slovakia (in Bratislava, Košice, Bardejov and Nové Zámky) that are used for religious purposes by the local Jewish community.

Franciscan church and monastery

see Franciscan church and monastery, Nové Zámky

The Franciscan church and monastery was built in the early baroque style in the middle of the 17th century. The complex was renovated in the 18th and at the end of the 19th century.

Demographics

The 2001 census recorded a population of 42 262 people, with 69.67% of them being Slovaks, 27.52% Hungarians and others. The most widespread religion was Roman Catholicism (71.72%), followed by a group without denomination (17.75%) and Evangelics (3.36%).

Year Population Year Population
1694
1200
1880
10 584
1713
1525
1890
11 299
1731
2970
1900
13 204
1755
3873
1910
16 228
1779
4671
1940
23 306
1787
5167
1945
13 400
1811
5493
1946
18 710
1821
5957
1950
20 031
1830
6904
1961
22 041
1851
6936
1965
23 457
1857
7622
1991
42 923
1869
9483
2001
42 262
Ethnic comparison by year
1700 1720 1890 1910 1930 1938 1991 2001
Hungarian
61%
46%
71%
91.43%
45%
88%
31.10%
27.50%
Slovak
25%
36%
8%
5.94%
42%
9.5%
66.82%
69.70%
German
13%
17%
4%
2%
-
-
-
<0.1%
Gypsy
-
-
3%
-
-
-
-
0.80%
Jewish
-
-
13%
8,48%
8%
-
-
0,4%

Famous people

Partner towns

References

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, April 03, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.