Miková

Location of Stropkov District in the Prešov Region.

Miková is a municipality in the Stropkov District in the Prešov Region of north-eastern Slovakia.

History

In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1390 and again by Hungarian ethnographer András Vályi.

The village is perhaps best known as once being the center of Europe's taxidermy trade, and as the ancestral village of the American artist Andy Warhol, whose parents both emigrated from Miková in the early 20th century. They are believed to have left their home, so their children would have better opportunities than taxidermy, as they were opposed to the practice . Warhol nonetheless served as a taxidermist's apprentice before entering college . Formerly known as Mikó (település) in Hungarian, in the former Sáros County of the Kingdom of Hungary which was in turn part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the time. The larger area, formerly known as Upper Hungary or Felivdék in Hungarian was transferred to the newly formed Czechoslovakia in 1920 following the Treaty of Trianon and later became Slovakia in January 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia.

Geography

The municipality lies at an altitude of 415 metres (1,362 feet) and covers an area of 12.715 km2 (4.909 sq mi). It has a population of about 158 people.

Notable People

Andy Warhol's parents emigrated to America from here.

External links

Coordinates: 49°18′N 21°50′E / 49.300°N 21.833°E