Galanta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Galanta | |
| Town | |
| Country |  Slovakia |
|---|---|
| Region | Trnava |
| District | Galanta |
| Tourism region | Dolné Považie |
| Elevation | 118 m (387 ft) |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 31.85 km² (12.3 sq mi) |
| Population | 15,873 (2005) |
| Density | 498 /km² (1,290 /sq mi) |
| First mentioned | 1237 |
| Mayor | Alexander Mézéš |
| Timezone | CET (UTC+1) |
| - summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 924 01 |
| Area code | +421-31 |
| Car plate | GA |
   Location of Galanta in Slovakia
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  Location of Galanta in the Trnava Region
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| Wikimedia Commons: Galanta | |
| Statistics: MOŠ/MIS | |
| Website: http://www.galanta.sk/ | |
Galanta (Hungarian: Galánta, German: Gallandau) is a small town (about 16,000 inhabitants) in Slovakia. It is situated 50 km due East from the Slovak capital Bratislava.
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[edit] Geography
Galanta lies in the Danubian Lowland (Podunajská nížina), the warm southern part of Slovakia. There are many agricultural fields around Galanta, where wheat, corn, and other vegetables and fruits are grown.
[edit] History
The land around Galanta has almost continuously been inhabited since the neolithic. The first written record of Galanta was made in 1237 in a Royal Decree by Béla IV of Hungary. Through the years, the settlement was under the lordship of various noble families. Beginning in 1421, the Esterhazy family ruled the town and the surrounding area for over six centuries. In 1613 or 1614, Galanta was promoted to a free market town.
[edit] Features
Galanta is an old town where most historical buildings have unfortunately been damaged or destroyed in World War II. During the Communist era of Czechoslovakia (1948-1989) the architecture of the town has further deteriorated as historic buildings were razed and replaced by prefabricated concrete apartment complexes and buildings. There are two important historical buildings left. The first one is the Esterházys' Castle and the second one a Renaissance castle. The Esterházys' Castle is in a state of disrepair and has been closed to the public since the late 1980s. The Renaissance castle was renovated in the 1990s and is being used as a museum, exhibition space and cultural center.
[edit] Demographics
According to the 2001 census, the town had 16,365 inhabitants. 60.35% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 36.80% Hungarians, 1.07% Roma and 0.70% Czechs.[1] The religious makeup was 67.05% Roman Catholics, 20.07% people with no religious affiliation and 6.34% Lutherans.[1]
[edit] Notable citizens
The Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály spent most of his childhood in this town and composed the Dances of Galanta (1933, for orchestra) based on the folk music of this region.
[edit] Sister Cities
Mikulov, Czech Republic (2003)
Paks, Hungary (1998)- Tótkomlós, Hungary (1999)
- Kecskemét, Hungary (1998)
- Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia (2006)
Bečej, Serbia (2001)
[edit] References
- ^ a b Municipal Statistics. Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Retrieved on 2008-01-13.
[edit] External links
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