Modra

Modra
Town
The "Upper Gate", the only remaining fortification gate in Modra
Coat of arms
Country Slovakia
Region Bratislava
District Pezinok
Elevation 175 m (574 ft)
Coordinates 48°19′54″N 17°18′32″E / 48.33167°N 17.30889°E / 48.33167; 17.30889Coordinates: 48°19′54″N 17°18′32″E / 48.33167°N 17.30889°E / 48.33167; 17.30889
Highest point Veľká homoľa
 - elevation 709 m (2,326 ft)
Lowest point
 - elevation 144 m (472 ft)
Area 49.624 km2 (19.160 sq mi)
Population 8,704 (2005)
Density 175/km2 (453/sq mi)
First mentioned 1158
Mayor Mgr. Juraj Petrakovič[1]
Timezone CET (UTC+1)
 - summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 900 01
Area code +421-33
Car plate PK
Location of Modra in Slovakia
Location of Modra in the Bratislava Region
Wikimedia Commons: Modra
Statistics: MOŠ/MIS
Website: www.modra.sk

Modra (German: Modern, Hungarian: Modor, Latin: Modur) is a city and municipality in the Bratislava Region in Slovakia. It has a population of 8,704 as of 2005. It nestles in the foothills of the Malé Karpaty (Little Carpathian mountains) and is an excellent centre of hiking.

Modra is famous for its pottery industry. Its blue-and-white porcelain is famous throughout Slovakia. It is also known as one of the most important viticulture centres in the Little Carpathians region.

Besides the main town, there are also other adjacent settlements incorporated in the municipality: former vassalage viticulture village Kráľová and two recreational hamlets of Harmónia and Piesok (also known as Zochova Chata), both located in the woods of Little Carpathians mountains.

Etymology

Most experts agree that the name is connected to Slovak: modrá (blue).[2] The name probably originates from another historic geographic name in the neighbourhood, e.g. Modrá hora (Blue Mountain). According to a less probable hypothesis, the name comes from Hungarian: madár (a bird).[2]

History

The first traces of habitation go back into the 3rd millennium BCE and the first permanent habitation comes from the time of Great Moravia, when the Slavs were living there. The first mention about Modra was in 1158 in a document of the Géza II of Hungary, when it belonged to the bishop of Nitra. After the Mongol invasion of 1241 the settlement was reconstructed by the German colonists. The first mention about vineyards goes back to 1321. The settlement received its town privileges in 1361 and became a free royal town in 1607. The town fortifications with three gates were constructed in 1610–1647. Since the 17th century it was one of the leading craft centres in present-day Slovakia. The ceramic industry and majolica production started in the 19th century and in 1883 a school of ceramics was established, where through the skillfulness of Habaners the so-called Slovak ceramics were created. The railway track from Bratislava to Trnava bypassed the town in the 1840s, as the local magistrate refused to allow construction of the railway.

Landmarks

Demographics

According to the 2001 census, the town had 8,536 inhabitants. 97.4% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 1% Czechs and 0.4% Hungarians.[3] Structure of religion: 53.7% Roman Catholics, 25.8% Lutherans, and 15% with no confession.[3]

Modra in fiction

In 2010 the Canadian film director Ingrid Veninger made a film about returning to the town after many years in Canada, called MODRA, starring Alexander Gammal and her daughter Hallie Switzer.

People

Memorial plate of Ľudovít Štůr on the Museum wall

Partner towns [4]

References

  1. ↑ http://modra.sk/primator/o-1008/p1=1046
  2. 1 2 Štefánik, Martin; Lukačka, Ján, eds. (2010). Lexikón stredovekých miest na Slovensku [Lexicon of Medieval Towns in Slovakia] (PDF) (in Slovak). Bratislava: Historický ústav SAV. p. 273. ISBN 978-80-89396-11-5.
  3. 1 2 "Municipal Statistics". Statistical Office of the Slovak republic. Archived from the original on 2007-10-27. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  4. ↑ Www.Modra.Sk
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