Rožňava

Geobox|Settlement
name = Rožňava
category = Town
etymology =
official_name =
motto =
nickname =


image_caption = Town tower


symbol =
symbol_type =
country = Slovakia
country_

state =
region = Košice Region
district = Rožňava District
municipality =
parent = Gemer
parent_type = Tourism region
river = Slaná
location =
elevation = 313
prominence =
lat_d =48 | lat_m =39 | lat_s =30 | lat_NS =N
long_d =20 | long_m =31 | long_s =51 | long_EW =E
highest =
highest_location = | highest_region = | highest_state =
highest_elevation =
highest_lat_d = | highest_lat_m = | highest_lat_s = | highest_lat_NS =
highest_long_d = | highest_long_m = | highest_long_s = | highest_long_EW =
lowest =
lowest_location = | lowest_region = | lowest_state =
lowest_elevation =
lowest_lat_d = | lowest_lat_m = | lowest_lat_s = | lowest_lat_NS =
lowest_long_d = | lowest_long_m = | lowest_long_s = | lowest_long_EW =
length = | length_orientation =
width = | width_orientation =
area = 45.614
area_land =
area_water =
area_urban =
area_metro =
population =19231 | population_date = 31 December 2005
population_urban =
population_metro =
population_density = auto
population_density_urban =
population_density_metro =
established =1291
established_type = First mentioned
date =
government =
government_location = | government_region = | government_state =
government_elevation =
government_lat_d = | government_lat_m = | government_lat_s = | government_lat_NS =
government_long_d = | government_long_m = | government_long_s = | government_long_EW =
mayor = Vladislav Laciak
leader =
timezone =

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map_caption = Location of Rožňava in Slovakia
map_background = Slovakia - background map.png map_locator = Slovakia
map1 = Košice Region - outline map.svg
map1_caption = Location of Rožňava in the Košice Region
map1_background = Košice Region - background map.png map1_locator = Košice Region
commons = Rožňava
statistics = [http://www.statistics.sk/mosmis/eng/prvav2.jsp?txtUroven440808&lstObec525529&Okruhzaklad MOŠ/MIS]
website = http://www.roznava.sk
footnotes =

Rožňava ( _hu. Rozsnyó, _de. Rosenau, Latin: "Rosnavia") is a town in Slovakia, approximately 75 km by road from Košice in the Košice Region, and has a population of 19,120.

The town is an economic and tourist center of the Gemer. Rožňava is now a popular tourist attraction with a beautiful historic town centre. The town is an episcopal seat. It has above all food, textile and remnants of mining industries.

History

Archaeological finds show that the region was densely settled by miners as early as around 1200. The first written mention stems from 1291, the royal free town status from 1410. The Roman-Catholic diocese of Rožňava was founded in 1776.

In the Middle Ages, Rožňava was a prosperous mining town for gold, silver, and iron. Mining activities stagnated from the 16th century (when territories to the south of the town were conquered by Ottoman Turks). Mining - this time mainly of iron ore - was renewed around 1800 and was present in the town throughout the 20th century.

The name of the town probably derives from the German and/or Hungarian word for rose ("Rose" and "Rózsa").

On 13 September 2003, Rožňava was visited by Pope John Paul II.

Noteworthy buildings

* an important Mining Museum
* a completely preserved medieval central town square with burgher houses
* the Cathedral (Gothic, late 13th century) with many precious historic art objects, especially a Renaissance painting of Mestercia showing realistic mining motifs
* the Town Tower (Renaissance, 1654) in the middle of the central town square
* the Jesuit church (Baroque, 1687)
* the Bishop's residence (Baroque-Classical, arose 1778 from older houses) with a plague column in front of the building
* a town hall (Classical, 1711)
* an Evangelic Lutheran church (Classical, 1786)
* a Reformed church (neo-Gothic, 1905)

Demographics

According to the 2001 census, the town had 19,261 inhabitants. 69.27% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 26.80% Hungarians, 1.59% Roma and 0.69% Czechs.cite web | title = Municipal Statistics | publisher = Statistical Office of the Slovak republic | url = http://www.statistics.sk/mosmis/eng/run.html | accessdate = 2007-12-28] The religious make-up was 41.08% Roman Catholics, 32.34% people with no religious affiliation, 12.03% Lutherans and 1.33% Greek Catholics.

Notable citizens

A famous son of the town is Pavel Jozef Šafárik.

Parts of the town

* Nadabula
* Rožňava (proper)
* Rožňavská Baňa (Rožňava Mine)

Twin towns

* Bačka Topola
* Cieszyn
* Český Těšín
* Glarus
* Szerencs

References

External links

* [http://www.retep.sk/ Rožňava]
* [http://www.spectacularslovakia.sk/ss2002/gemer.html Information on Rožňava and the Gemer region]
* [http://www.tourist-channel.sk/roznava/indexen.html Information on tourist sights] (with photo of the main square)
* [http://www.inforoznava.sk/ Medial information site about life in Rožňava] (In slovak language)
* [http://www.roznava.sk Official site] (Slovak only)