Blatnica, Slovakia

Geobox |settlement
name = Blatnica
category = Village
etymology =
official_name =
motto =
nickname =


image_caption = Blatnica on the foot of the Greater Fatra Range


symbol =
country = Slovakia
country_

state =
region = Žilina
district = Martin
municipality =
part =
river =
location =
elevation = 500
lat_d = 48
lat_m = 56
lat_s = 13
lat_NS = N
long_d = 18
long_m = 55
long_s = 36
long_EW = E
coordinates_type = region:SK_type:city
highest =
highest_lat_d =
highest_long_d =
lowest =
lowest_lat_d =
lowest_long_d =
area = 86.186
area_round = 3
population = 881
population_date = 2005-12-31
population_density = auto
established =
date =
mayor =
timezone =
timezone_DST =
postal_code = 038 15
area_code = 421-43
code = MT
code_type = Car plate
free =
free_type = Statistics
free_note = retrieved 2007-10-07

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map_background = Slovakia - background map.png map_caption = Location of Blatnica in Slovakia
map_locator = Slovakia
map1 = Žilina Region - outline map.svg
map1_background = Žilina Region - background map.png map1_caption = Location of Blatnica in the Žilina Region
map1_locator = Žilina Region
commons =
statistics = [http://www.statistics.sk/mosmis/eng/prvav2.jsp?txtUroven430506&lstObec512079&Okruhzaklad MOŠ/MIS]
statistics_date = 2007-10-07
website = [http://www.gader.sk/blatnica_en.htm www.gader.sk]
footnotes =

Blatnica (1927-1946 "Turčianska Blatnica") is a village and municipality in the Turiec region of Slovakia. Administratively it is a part of the Martin District in the Žilina Region. The village is situated under the Greater Fatra Range, at the opening of the spectacular karst Gader and Blatnica valleys. The ruins of the Blatnica Castle lie on a low ridge over the village.

History

Blatnica is an important archaeological site, where Slavic tumuli with many precious artifacts (such as the famous Blatnica Sword) from the 8th and 9th centuries have been found. The site gave name to the "Blatnica-Mikulčice Horizon" archaeological culture. The first written mention stems from 1230, however, the castle was built at the end of the 13th century.

Culture

First Slovak female botanist Izabela Textorisová lived in Blatnica and her rich herbarium contains plants of the nearby Tlstá mountain. Textorisová's house as well as the museum of ethnographer, filmmaker, and photographer Karol Plicka are open to public. Other places of interest include two manor houses from the 18th century, a Classicist Lutheran church and many well-preserved rural houses.

Demographics

Blatnica has a population of 881 (as of December 31, 2005). According to the 2001 census, 99% of inhabitants were Slovaks.cite web | title = Municipal Statistics | publisher = Statistical Office of the Slovak republic | url = http://www.statistics.sk/mosmis/eng/run.html | accessdate = 2007-12-08] Blatnica is one of few villages with a Lutheran absolute majority (58.6%) in the predominantly Roman Catholic Slovakia.

References

External links

* [http://www.blatnica.sk Municipal website] sk icon
* [http://www.gader.sk/blatnica_en.htm Basic information about Blatnica and its history]