Portal:Slovakia
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Slovakia or Slovak Republic (Slovak: Slovensko, Slovenská republika) is a landlocked republic in Central Europe with population of more than five million. It is a member of the European Union (since May 1, 2004) and borders Czech Republic and Austria in the west, Poland in the north, Ukraine in the east and Hungary in the south. Its capital is its largest city, Bratislava.
From around 450 BC, the territory of modern-day Slovakia was settled by Celts, who built powerful oppida in Bratislava and Liptov. Silver coins with the names of Celtic kings represent the first known use of writing in Slovakia. From 6 AD, the expanding Roman Empire established and maintained a chain of outposts around the Danube. The Kingdom of Vannius, a barbarian kingdom founded by the Germanic tribe of Quadi, existed in western and central Slovakia from 20 to 50 AD.
The Slavic population settled in the territory of Slovakia in the 5th century. Western Slovakia was the centre of Samo's Empire in the 7th century. A proto-Slovak state, known as the Principality of Nitra, arose in the 8th century and its ruler Pribina had the first Christian church in Slovakia consecrated by 828. Together with neighboring Moravia, the principality formed the core of the Great Moravian Empire from 833. The high point of this (Proto-)Slovak empire came with the arrival of Saints Cyril and Methodius during the reign of Prince Rastislav and the territorial expansion under King Svätopluk.
The Grassalkovich Palace or the Presidential Palace (Slovak: Grasalkovičov palác, Prezidentský palác) is a palace in Bratislava and the seat of the President of Slovakia. It is situated next to the Summer Archbishop's Palace.
The building is an impressive Rococo/late Baroque summer palace with a French garden. It was built in 1760 for the Count Antal Grassalkovich, a Croatian noble serving as the head of the Hungarian Chamber (a kind of ministry of economy and finance of the Kingdom of Hungary), by the architect A. Mayerhofer. It features many beautiful rooms and an impressive staircase.
Author: Martin Proehl
The building became a center of Baroque music life in Bratislava. Joseph Haydn presented here the premières of his works. Count Grassalkovich also had an own orchestra and his "collegue", Count Eszterházy, used to "lend" him his favorite conductor Joseph Haydn. Grassalkovich was Empress Maria Theresa's minion, so the palace was used for various balls and parties of the imperial (=Austrian) court. For example, it was Haydn who conducted the orchestra, when Empress Maria Theresa's daughter was marrying Albert of Sachsen-Teschen, the governor of the Kingdom of Hungary (see Bratislava Castle). Ľudovítom Štúr is said to have declared his love to his great love Adela Ostrolúcka for the first time during a ball organized by archprince Stephen. Last owners of the palace before the end of Austria-Hungary were the archprince Friedrich with his wife Isabella.
Photo credit: sk:Redaktor:Maros
The State Theatre Košice (Slovak: Štátne divadlo Košice) is situated in the centre of Košice, a city in Slovakia. The building was built in a Neo-baroque style according to projects of Adolf Lang during the years of 1879-1899. The building's interiour is richly decorated with plaster ornaments. The stage is lyre-shaped. The ceiling of the building is decorated with scenes from William Shakespeare's tragedies Othello, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear and Midsummer Night's dream.
- ...that the Michael's Gate in Bratislava is the only gate that has been preserved of the medieval fortifications and ranks among the oldest town buildings?
- ...that the ceiling of the State Theatre Košice is decorated with scenes from William Shakespeare's tragedies Othello, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear and A Midsummer Night's Dream?
- ...that with the Czechoslovak parliamentary election, 1946, the last one before communist rule was established, voting age was lowered to 18 years, suffrage was granted only for citizens with Czech, Slovak or other Slav nationality (not for Czechoslovak citizens with German, Hungrarian or Jew nationality), only six political parties of National front were allowed (additional two were allowed a few moths before elections), and voting was compulsory?
- October 26, 2006 — Bratislava's M. R. Štefánik Airport is set to adopt new security rules for passenger checks as of November 6. (More...)
- September 26, 2006 — The King of Cambodia recently took some time to visit Slovakia to partake in several official duties and engagements. The Slovak president's spokesperson made an announcement saying the King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk arrived on Sunday for his first official visit in the country. (More...)
- September 26, 2006 — Politicians and security analysts agree that the threat of a terrorist attack in Slovakia is remote compared to the neighbouring Czech Republic, where police recently tightened security measures in response to a threat identified by local intelligence units. (More...)
- September 26, 2006 — Tourist accommodation facilities in Slovakia reported turnover of Sk 3.3 billion in the first half of this year, a 13.4 percent increase from the same period last year, the Slovak Statistics Bureau reported. (More...)
Moric Benovsky (born 1741 or 1746 as Móritz Benyovszky - died May 23, 1786) was a Slovak noble in the Kingdom of Hungary, adventurer, globetrotter, explorer, colonizer, writer, chess player, the King of Madagascar, a French colonel, Polish military commander and Austrian soldier.
Beňovský was born in Vrbové near Trnava in present-day Slovakia (at that time part of the Kingdom of Hungary). The year of his birth (1741 or 1746) is disputed. His career began as an officer of Austrian army in the Seven Years' War, because Hungary was part of the Austrian monarchy at that time. However, his religious views and attitudes towards authority resulted in his leaving the country. From this time on he was called a sailor, an adventurer, a visionary, a colonizer, an entrepreneur, and a king.
In 1768 he joined the Confederation of Bar, Polish national movement against Russian intervention. He was captured by the Russians and interned in Kazan and later exiled in Siberia (Kamchatka). Subsequently, he escaped from Siberia and started a discovery trip through the Northern Pacific. In 1772 Beňovský arrived in Paris where impressed King Louis XV. He was offered to act in the name of France on Madagascar. In 1776 Beňovský was elected by the local tribal chiefs an Ampansacabe, (king) of Madagaskar. In 1776 he returned to Paris and in appreciation for his services as Commander of Madagascar, he was awarded with promotion to the rank of General, and granted the military Order of Saint Louis and a life pension by Louis XVI. In 1779 Beňovský came to America, where he tried to obtain support in proposal to use Madagascar as a base in the struggle against England. He died in 1786 fighting with the French on Madagascar.
- Requests:
Lesser Carpathians(sk),Devín Gate(sk),Nové Mesto(sk),Main Square(sk),Declaration of independence - Stubs: Candle demonstration in Bratislava, Záhorie (military district), Railways of the Slovak Republic, Bánovce nad Bebravou, Dimitrij Andrusov, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Košice Self-governing Region
- Verify: History of Slovak, Action Programme (1968), Svatopluk I, Pannonia
- Update: None for the moment
- NPOV: Magyarization
- Copyedit: None for the moment
- Wikify: None for the moment
- Merge: Border conflicts between Poland and Czechoslovakia
- Cleanup: None for the moment
- Style: Geography of Slovakia
- Expand: Vienna Awards (de), Military of Slovakia, Transport in Slovakia, Žilina (sk)
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