Devín

See also: Devín Castle and Devin

Coordinates: 48°10′26″N 16°59′00″E / 48.17389°N 16.9833333°E / 48.17389; 16.9833333

Devín
Borough
Country	Slovakia
Region	Bratislava
District	Bratislava IV
River	Danube, Morava
Elevation	125 m (410 ft)
Coordinates	48°10′26″N 16°59′00″E / 48.17389°N 16.9833333°E / 48.17389; 16.9833333
Area	13.964 km2 (5.392 sq mi)
Population	1,005 (2005)
Density	72 / km2 (186 / sq mi)
First mentioned	1237
Postal code	84105
Area code	+421-02
Car plate	BA, BL
Location of Devín in Slovakia
Wikimedia Commons: Devín
Website: [devin.com
Source[1]

Devín (Hungarian: Dévény, German: Theben) originally a separate town at the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers, is now a suburb of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. It is an important archaeological site, famous for the ruins of Devín Castle. Devín lies near the Devín Gate, which was viewed as the western gateway to the Kingdom of Hungary

It lies on the border between Slovakia and Austria which runs down the middle of the Morava and Danube rivers, and which previously formed part of the Iron Curtain between East and West.

The name stems from the Slovak word deva, which signifies "girl".

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History

Thanks to its strategic location at the confluence of the rivers Danube and Morava, the nearby cliff was an ideal place for a fort. The site has been settled since the Neolithic and both the Celts and Romans built forts here.

Devín Castle above the Danube

Devín was first mentioned in a document from 1237 under the name Villa Thebyn. Originally, it was a small village, belonging to the Devín Castle, but quickly attained the status of a small town in the 15th century. In 1568, Devín became separated from its former owner. Croats fleeing from the approaching Ottomans in the south settled here in the 16th century. The castle above the village was burned down by Napoleon's troops in 1809. From October 1938 to April 1945, Devín was part of the German Third Reich, being part of the Lower Austria. In 1946, Devín was returned to Czechoslovakia and became part of Bratislava.

During the Cold War Devín was just inside the Iron Curtain and the northern banks of the Danube and Morava rivers were heavily fortified. The border fortifications were dismantled after the Velvet Revolution of 1989, and there is now free access to the riverbank.

Characteristics

Devín is part of Bratislava, yet differs from the rest of the city due to its rural character. As a popular recreation center, it offers an ancient castle located on a spectacular cliff, hiking trails in the hilly areas around the village, large gardens and vineyards, as well as opportunities for quiet walks along the Danube. Good bus connections with the center of Bratislava are a part of the municipal public transportation system. Most of the people commute to work elsewhere in Bratislava.

Devín is quite commonly flooded by the Morava and Danube rivers, with the strongest flood in recent history being in August 2002. To fight the floods the use of a Wide Net has been cast. Results still pending to determine efficacy.

References

1. ^ Mestská a obecná štatistika SR

External links

• Official municipal website of Devín (Slovak)