- Prešov
Geobox | Settlement
name = Prešov
category = City
image_caption = City centre of Prešov
symbol =
etymology =
official_name =
motto =
nickname =
country = Slovakia
country_
state =
region = Prešov
district = Prešov
municipality =
parent = Šariš
parent_type = Tourism region
river = Torysa
location =
elevation = 250
lat_d = 49
lat_m = 00
lat_s = 06
lat_NS = N
long_d = 21
long_m = 14
long_s = 22
long_EW = E
coordinates_type = region:SK_type:city
highest =
highest_elevation =
highest_lat_d =
highest_long_d =
lowest =
lowest_elevation =
lowest_lat_d =
lowest_long_d =
area = 70.40
area_round = 1
population = 91650
population_date = 2006-12-31
population_density = auto
established = 1247
established_type = First mentioned
mayor = Pavel Hagyari
mayor_party = independent
timezone =
map_background = Slovakia - background map.png
map_caption = Location in Slovakia
map_locator = Slovakia
map1 = Prešov Region - outline map.svg
map1_background = Prešov Region - background map.png
map1_caption = Location in the Prešov Region
map1_locator = Prešov Region
commons = Prešov
statistics = [http://www.statistics.sk/mosmis/eng/prvav2.jsp?txtUroven440707&lstObec524140&Okruhzaklad MOŠ/MIS]
website = [http://www.presov.sk www.presov.sk]
footnotes =Prešov (Audio|Presov.ogg|pronunciation; known also by alternative names) is a
city in easternSlovakia . It is the seat of the administrativePrešov Region ( _sk. Prešovský kraj). With a population of approximately 91,000, it is the third-largest city in the country.Etymology
The city name originates in the Hungarian word "eper"which means
strawberry .cite web | publisher = | url=http://flagspot.net/flags/sk-preso.html| title = Presov city, Slovakia | date = | accessdate = 13 August | accessyear = 2008 | language = English] The city's historical coat of arms also contains strawberries. Historically, the city has been known as "Eperjes" in Hungarian, "Eperies" or "Preschau" in German, "Fragopolis" in Latin, "Preszów" in Polish, "Peryeshis" in Romany, Пряшів/Пряшyв ("Priashiv/Priashuv") in Rusyn and Пряшів in Ukrainian.Characteristics
The city is a showcase of
Baroque ,Rococo andGothic architecture . In the historical center, the main street is lined with churches and other buildings built in these styles. In the suburbs, however, theSoviet influence is clearly evident through the massive concrete apartment buildings (thepanelák y) of the Sídliská (housing estates) and the Sekčov district. More Soviet-style architecture is seen in the government buildings near the city center.Significant industries in the city include mechanical and electrical engineering companies and the clothing industry. Solivary, the only salt mining and processing company in Slovakia, also operates in the city. The city is a seat of an Orthodox archbishopric.
Many concerts, operas, operettas and stage plays are performed at the new building of the Jonáš Záborský Theatre (Divadlo Jonáša Záborského), as well as at the older theatre premises.
The city and the region are contenders for
European Capital of Culture 2013. [See [http://www.presov2013.sk Presov 2013 website] ]History
Habitation in the region of Prešov dates as far back as the
Paleolithic period. The oldest discovered tools andmammoth bones are 28,000 years old. The continuous settlement dates to the 8th century.By the end of the 11th century the town had become part of the
Kingdom of Hungary , and Hungarian soldiers settled in the town. According to the legend today's was founded in 1132 by King of Hungary, Blind Béla [cite web | publisher = Protestáns Honlap| url=http://www.lutheran.hu/z/honlapok/protestans/felvidek/eperjes| title = Eperjes (Prešov, Eperies Sk) | date = | accessdate = 13 August | accessyear = 2008 | language = Hungarian, Slovak, German, English] and named after strawberries planted nearby. [Tibor Horváth, "Szlovákia", p. 140 (Hungarian)] In the 13th century many German settlers moved to Prešov from theSpiš region, after the Mongol invasions of 1241. The first written record of Prešov dates back to 1247 in a document of the King Béla IV, when it was mentioned as "Epuries". At that time it was a village belonging to the nearbyŠariš Castle . [cite web | publisher = City of Prešov | url = http://www.presov.sk/article.php?i_id_article=3258 | title = Prešov - Prior to The Grant of The City privileges | date = no date | accessdate = 2008-03-18] In 1299 Prešov received municipal privileges from Andrew III, and in 1374 it was declared afree royal town . This led to the development of crafts and trade (especially the export of wine from theTisza region toPoland ). In the 15th century Prešov joined thePentapolitana , an alliance of five towns of eastern Slovakia (Bardejov ,Levoča , Košice, Prešov, andSabinov ).The first record of a school dates to 1429. In 1572, salt mining began in Solivar (at that time a nearby town, now part of Prešov). Prešov's increased importance meant that in 1647 it became the seat of the
Šariš county.In 1667 the important Evangelic Lutheran College of Prešov was established by Lutherans in the town. In 1687 twenty four prominent citizens and noblemen were executed for supporting the uprising of
Imre Thököly .At the beginning of the 18th century, the population was decimated by the
Bubonic plague and by fires to a mere 2,000 inhabitants. By the second half of the century the town had recovered, crafts and trade improved again, and new factories were built. In 1752 the salt mine in Solivar was flooded. Ever since then salt has been produced from salt brine through boiling.In 1870 the first railway was built to the town from
Košice . At the end of the 19th century, the town introduced electricity, telephone, telegraph, and a sewage system. In 1887 fire destroyed a large part of the town. In 1918 Prešov became part of the newly createdCzechoslovakia . DuringWorld War II , the nearby town of Košice became again part of Hungary by theFirst Vienna Award . As a result, many institutions moved from Košice to Prešov, thus increasing its importance. In 1944, a professional Slovak Theatre was established in Prešov.During the Communist Czechoslovakia era after 1948, Prešov became an industrial center. The population increased rapidly from 28,000 in 1950 to 52,000 in 1970 and 91,000 in 1990.
Geography
Prešov lies at an altitude of convert|250|m|ft|0 above sea level and covers an area of convert|70.4|km2|sqmi|1.cite web | title = Municipal Statistics | publisher = Statistical Office of the Slovak republic | date = | url = http://www.statistics.sk/mosmis/eng/run.html | accessdate = 2008-01-22] It is located in the north-eastern Slovakia, at the northern reaches of the
Košice Basin , at the confluence of theTorysa River with its tributary Sekčov. Mountain ranges nearby includeSlanské vrchy (south-east),Šarišská vrchovina (south-west), Bachureň (west) and Čergov (north). The neighbouring city of Košice is convert|34|km|mi|0 to the south, around convert|50|km|mi|0 from the Polish border and convert|410|km|mi|0 away fromBratislava (by road).Climate
Prešov lies in the north temperate zone and has a
continental climate with four distinct seasons. It is characterized by a significant variation between hot summers and cold, snowy winters.Infobox Weather
metric_first= Yes
single_line= Yes
location = Prešov
Jan_Hi_°F = 32 |Jan_Hi_°C = 0 |Jan_REC_Hi_°F = |Jan_REC_Lo_°F=
Feb_Hi_°F = 37 |Feb_Hi_°C = 3 |Feb_REC_Hi_°F = |Feb_REC_Lo_°F =
Mar_Hi_°F = 48 |Mar_Hi_°C = 9 |Mar_REC_Hi_°F = |Mar_REC_Lo_°F =
Apr_Hi_°F = 59 |Apr_Hi_°C = 15 |Apr_REC_Hi_°F = |Apr_REC_Lo_°F =
May_Hi_°F = 69 |May_Hi_°C = 21 |May_REC_Hi_°F = |May_REC_Lo_°F =
Jun_Hi_°F = 74 |Jun_Hi_°C = 24 |Jun_REC_Hi_°F = |Jun_REC_Lo_°F =
Jul_Hi_°F = 78 |Jul_Hi_°C = 25 |Jul_REC_Hi_°F = |Jul_REC_Lo_°F =
Aug_Hi_°F = 78 |Aug_Hi_°C = 25 |Aug_REC_Hi_°F = |Aug_REC_Lo_°F =
Sep_Hi_°F = 69 |Sep_Hi_°C = 20 |Sep_REC_Hi_°F = |Sep_REC_Lo_°F =
Oct_Hi_°F = 58 |Oct_Hi_°C = 14 |Oct_REC_Hi_°F = |Oct_REC_Lo_°F =
Nov_Hi_°F = 44 |Nov_Hi_°C = 6 |Nov_REC_Hi_°F = |Nov_REC_Lo_°F =
Dec_Hi_°F = 34 |Dec_Hi_°C = 1 |Dec_REC_Hi_°F = |Dec_REC_Lo_°F =
Year_Hi_°F = |Year_Hi_°C = |Year_REC_Hi_°F = |Year_REC_Lo_°F =
Jan_Lo_°F = 23 |Jan_Lo_°C = -5 |Jan_REC_Hi_°C = |Jan_REC_Lo_°C =
Feb_Lo_°F = 25 |Feb_Lo_°C = -4 |Feb_REC_Hi_°C = |Feb_REC_Lo_°C =
Mar_Lo_°F = 32 |Mar_Lo_°C = 0 |Mar_REC_Hi_°C = |Mar_REC_Lo_°C =
Apr_Lo_°F = 40 |Apr_Lo_°C = 5 |Apr_REC_Hi_°C = |Apr_REC_Lo_°C =
May_Lo_°F = 49 |May_Lo_°C = 9 |May_REC_Hi_°C = |May_REC_Lo_°C =
Jun_Lo_°F = 54 |Jun_Lo_°C = 12 |Jun_REC_Hi_°C = |Jun_REC_Lo_°C =
Jul_Lo_°F = 57 |Jul_Lo_°C = 14 |Jul_REC_Hi_°C = |Jul_REC_Lo_°C =
Aug_Lo_°F = 57 |Aug_Lo_°C = 14 |Aug_REC_Hi_°C = |Aug_REC_Lo_°C =
Sep_Lo_°F = 49 |Sep_Lo_°C = 10 |Sep_REC_Hi_°C = |Sep_REC_Lo_°C =
Oct_Lo_°F = 41 |Oct_Lo_°C = 5 |Oct_REC_Hi_°C = |Oct_REC_Lo_°C =
Nov_Lo_°F = 33 |Nov_Lo_°C = 0 |Nov_REC_Hi_°C = |Nov_REC_Lo_°C =
Dec_Lo_°F = 26 |Dec_Lo_°C = -4 |Dec_REC_Hi_°C = |Dec_REC_Lo_°C =
Year_Lo_°F = |Year_Lo_°C = |Year_REC_Hi_°C = |Year_REC_Lo_°C =
Jan_Precip_inch = 0.63
Feb_Precip_inch = 0.74
Mar_Precip_inch = 0.75
Apr_Precip_inch = 1.52
May_Precip_inch = 1.76
Jun_Precip_inch = 2.36
Jul_Precip_inch = 2.66
Aug_Precip_inch = 2.00
Sep_Precip_inch = 1.41
Oct_Precip_inch = 1.30
Nov_Precip_inch = 1.15
Dec_Precip_inch = 0.78
Year_Precip_inch =
Jan_Precip_cm = 1.59 |Jan_Precip_mm =
Feb_Precip_cm = 1.89 |Feb_Precip_mm =
Mar_Precip_cm = 1.90 |Mar_Precip_mm =
Apr_Precip_cm = 3.85 |Apr_Precip_mm =
May_Precip_cm = 4.48 |May_Precip_mm =
Jun_Precip_cm = 5.99 |Jun_Precip_mm =
Jul_Precip_cm = 6.76 |Jul_Precip_mm =
Aug_Precip_cm = 5.09 |Aug_Precip_mm =
Sep_Precip_cm = 3.57 |Sep_Precip_mm =
Oct_Precip_cm = 3.30 |Oct_Precip_mm =
Nov_Precip_cm = 2.91 |Nov_Precip_mm =
Dec_Precip_cm = 1.97 |Dec_Precip_mm =
Year_Precip_cm = |Year_Precip_mm =
source =MSN Weathercite web
url = http://weather.msn.com/monthly_averages.aspx?&wealocations=wc%3a26657&setunit=C | title = Monthly Averages for Nitra, Slovakia | accessdate = 22 January | accessyear = 2008
publisher = MSN ]
accessdate = 2008-01-22Demographics
Prešov has a population of 91,621 (as of December 31, 2005). According to the 2001
census , 93.7% of inhabitants wereSlovaks , 1.4% Roma, 1.2%Rusyns , 1.1%Ukrainians , 0.8%Czechs , and 0.2%Hungarians . The religious make-up was 66.8%Roman Catholics , 13.6% people with no religious affiliation, 8.9%Greek Catholics , 4.8%Lutherans , and 1.68%Orthodox .Before
World War II Prešov had a largeJew ish population, and housed a major Jewish museum. Plaques in the town hall and a memorial in the survivingsynagogue record that 6,400 Jews were deported from the town under theTiso government of theFirst Slovak Republic to theconcentration camp s run by theNazi regime of Germany.Education
Institutions of tertiary education in the city are the
University of Prešov with 12,549 students, including 867 doctoral students. cite web|url=http://www.uips.sk/statis/pdf/VS_P24.PDF |title=Technická univerzita Košice |accessdate=2008-03-04 |format=PDF |publisher=Ústav informácií a prognóz školstva |language=Slovak] and the privateInternational Business College ISM Slovakia in Prešov , with 455 students. cite web|url=http://www.uips.sk/statis/pdf/VS_P37.PDF |title=Vysoká škola medzinárodného podnikania ISM Slovakia |accessdate=2008-03-04 |format=PDF |publisher=Ústav informácií a prognóz školstva |language=Slovak] In addition, the Faculty of Manufacturing Technologies of theTechnical University of Košice is based in the city.There are 15 public
primary school s, six private primary schools, and two religious primary schools.cite web | title=Prehľad základných škôl v školskom roku 2006/2007 | date= 2006 | publisher=Ústav informácií a prognóz školstva | url =http://www.uips.sk/statis/pdf/ZS_P7.PDF | accessdate = 2008-03-04 | language = Slovak] Overall, they enroll 9,079 pupils. The city's system ofsecondary education consists of 10 gymnasia with 3,675 students, cite web|url=http://www.uips.sk/statis/pdf/GYM_P7.PDF |title=Prehľad gymnázií v školskom roku 2006/2007 |accessdate=2008-03-04 |format=PDF |publisher=Ústav informácií a prognóz školstva |language=Slovak] 4 specializedhigh school s with 5,251 students, cite web|url=http://www.uips.sk/statis/pdf/SOS_P7.PDF |title=Prehľad stredných odborných škôl v školskom roku 2006/2007 |accessdate=2008-03-04 |format=PDF |publisher=Ústav informácií a prognóz školstva |language=Slovak ] and 11vocational school s with 5,028 students. cite web|url=http://www.uips.sk/statis/pdf/ZSS_P7.PDF |title=Prehľad združených stredných škôl v školskom roku 2006/2007 |accessdate=2008-03-04 |format=PDF |publisher=Ústav informácií a prognóz školstva |language=Slovak] cite web|url=http://www.uips.sk/statis/pdf/SOU_P8.PDF |title=Prehľad stredných odborných učilíšť a učilíšť v školskom roku 2006/2007 |accessdate=2008-03-04 |format=PDF |publisher=Ústav informácií a prognóz školstva |language=Slovak ]Hiking trails
*
European walking route E8
**Prešov -Miháľov -Kurimka -Dukla -Iwonicz-Zdrój –Rymanów-Zdrój - Puławy – Tokarnia (778 m) – Kamień (717 m) –Komańcza -Cisna -Ustrzyki Górne -Tarnica -Wołosate .ee also
*
List of people from Prešov
* Šariš Brewery
*Executive Court of Prešov Twin towns
Prešov is twinned with:
*
Brugherio ,Italy
*Keratsini ,Greece
*La Courneuve ,France
*Nyíregyháza ,Hungary
*Nowy Sącz ,Poland
*Mukacheve ,Ukraine
*Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ,United States [http://www.gpsca.org/index.htm]
* Prague 10,Czech Republic
*Remscheid ,Germany
*Rishon LeZion ,Israel References
* [http://www.presov.sk/browse.php?i_id_category=257 Official History of Prešov]
* Prešov town hall (July 2002), Prešov - city profile. Retrieved in June 2004 from http://www.pis.sk/jpis/obsah/html/presov_profile.htm.Citations
General references
*cite book
last =Horváth
first=Tibor
title = Szlovákia
edition = 1st ed.
year = 1999
publisher = Cartographia
location = Budapest
language = Hungarian
isbn = 9633531802CMExternal links
* [http://www.presov.sk/portal.php?language=en Webpage of the town]
* [http://www.slovakia.org/tourism/presov.htm Prešov information from Slovakia.org]
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